Betty is one of many variants of the old Hebrew name Elisabeth, usually spelled Elizabeth in English.
The name Elisabeth appears in the Bible (New Testament) as the name of the Virgin Mary's cousin and the mother of John the Baptist. It derives from the even older Hebrew name Elisheba, which means "God is my oath."
Elizabeth has remained a popular name in England ever since the days of Queen Elizabeth 1 in the 16th century. She was often known as "good Queen Bess." Bess, Bessie, Betty, Bessie and Betsy are some of the better known pet or short forms of Elizabeth. Most of these versions were more fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries than they are today; however, the name Betty has become more popular again recently, perhaps because of the fame of the American TV series "Ugly Betty." Real life famous bearers of the name include the late American comic writer Betty Mc Donald.
The name Elisabeth appears in the Bible (New Testament) as the name of the Virgin Mary's cousin and the mother of John the Baptist. It derives from the even older Hebrew name Elisheba, which means "God is my oath."
Elizabeth has remained a popular name in England ever since the days of Queen Elizabeth 1 in the 16th century. She was often known as "good Queen Bess." Bess, Bessie, Betty, Bessie and Betsy are some of the better known pet or short forms of Elizabeth. Most of these versions were more fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries than they are today; however, the name Betty has become more popular again recently, perhaps because of the fame of the American TV series "Ugly Betty." Real life famous bearers of the name include the late American comic writer Betty Mc Donald.
