Bessie
#6,838 for girls in 2025, 16 births · Last seen for boys in 1956 at #3,942
Given to girls 99.6% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1889 · 2,343 births
- Debut · girls
- 796 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 48 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 170,140since 1880
Bessie over time
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #6,838 | 16 | — | |
| 2024 | #9,556 | 10 | — | |
| 2023 | #7,247 | 15 | — | |
| 2022 | #8,032 | 13 | — | |
| 2021 | #6,691 | 17 | — | |
| 2020 | #6,923 | 16 | — | |
| 2019 | #9,112 | 11 | — | |
| 2018 | #10,545 | 9 | — | |
| 2017 | #8,776 | 12 | — | |
| 2016 | #11,781 | 8 | — | |
| 2015 | #9,481 | 11 | — | |
| 2014 | #9,517 | 11 | — | |
| 2013 | #7,031 | 17 | — | |
| 2012 | #8,632 | 13 | — | |
| 2011 | #11,181 | 9 | — | |
| 2010 | #12,276 | 8 | — | |
| 2009 | #11,459 | 9 | — | |
| 2008 | #8,109 | 15 | — | |
| 2007 | #8,098 | 15 | — | |
| 2006 | #6,592 | 19 | — | |
| 2005 | #7,500 | 15 | — | |
| 2004 | #12,761 | 7 | — | |
| 2003 | #7,207 | 15 | — | |
| 2002 | #4,381 | 28 | — | |
| 2001 | #4,564 | 26 | — | |
| 2000 | #3,983 | 31 | — | |
| 1999 | #5,039 | 21 | — | |
| 1998 | #4,142 | 27 | — | |
| 1997 | #3,547 | 32 | — | |
| 1996 | #3,632 | 30 | — | |
| 1995 | #3,969 | 26 | — | |
| 1994 | #3,098 | 37 | — | |
| 1993 | #4,257 | 24 | — | |
| 1992 | #2,488 | 51 | — | |
| 1991 | #2,073 | 65 | — | |
| 1990 | #1,905 | 73 | — | |
| 1989 | #2,072 | 60 | — | |
| 1988 | #2,152 | 53 | — | |
| 1987 | #1,918 | 59 | — | |
| 1986 | #1,751 | 66 | — | |
| 1985 | #1,458 | 85 | — | |
| 1984 | #1,616 | 68 | — | |
| 1983 | #1,644 | 67 | — | |
| 1982 | #1,374 | 89 | — | |
| 1981 | #1,253 | 103 | — | |
| 1980 | #1,286 | 99 | — | |
| 1979 | #1,251 | 102 | — | |
| 1978 | #1,314 | 91 | — | |
| 1977 | #1,283 | 92 | — | |
| 1976 | #1,122 | 106 | — | |
| 1975 | #957 | 131 | — | |
| 1974 | #1,033 | 116 | — | |
| 1973 | #990 | 120 | — | |
| 1972 | #863 | 149 | — | |
| 1971 | #927 | 140 | — | |
| 1970 | #844 | 160 | — | |
| 1969 | #823 | 156 | — | |
| 1968 | #794 | 159 | — | |
| 1967 | #716 | 186 | — | |
| 1966 | #686 | 202 | — | |
| 1965 | #579 | 273 | — | |
| 1964 | #581 | 290 | — | |
| 1963 | #574 | 293 | — | |
| 1962 | #536 | 330 | — | |
| 1961 | #557 | 318 | — | |
| 1960 | #493 | 385 | — | |
| 1959 | #486 | 396 | — | |
| 1958 | #451 | 443 | — | |
| 1957 | #434 | 465 | — | |
| 1956 | #396 | 518 | #3,942 | 5 |
| 1955 | #381 | 533 | — | |
| 1954 | #331 | 652 | — | |
| 1953 | #322 | 650 | — | |
| 1952 | #297 | 729 | — | |
| 1951 | #284 | 762 | — | |
| 1950 | #270 | 794 | — | |
| 1949 | #241 | 946 | #3,019 | 7 |
| 1948 | #236 | 998 | #3,668 | 5 |
| 1947 | #233 | 1,012 | — | |
| 1946 | #225 | 1,022 | #3,525 | 5 |
| 1945 | #190 | 1,075 | — | |
| 1944 | #189 | 1,122 | — | |
| 1943 | #190 | 1,148 | — | |
| 1942 | #176 | 1,266 | #3,212 | 6 |
| 1941 | #173 | 1,176 | #2,333 | 10 |
| 1940 | #162 | 1,297 | #3,130 | 6 |
| 1939 | #158 | 1,361 | #2,159 | 11 |
| 1938 | #155 | 1,419 | #1,741 | 16 |
| 1937 | #143 | 1,550 | #2,479 | 9 |
| 1936 | #136 | 1,645 | #2,062 | 12 |
| 1935 | #129 | 1,756 | #1,538 | 20 |
| 1934 | #128 | 1,832 | #2,121 | 12 |
| 1933 | #117 | 1,881 | #1,707 | 17 |
| 1932 | #117 | 2,093 | #2,465 | 10 |
| 1931 | #113 | 2,116 | #1,770 | 17 |
| 1930 | #108 | 2,382 | #1,533 | 23 |
| 1929 | #107 | 2,380 | #1,672 | 20 |
| 1928 | #101 | 2,661 | #1,413 | 27 |
| 1927 | #88 | 2,975 | #2,034 | 16 |
| 1926 | #89 | 3,054 | #1,432 | 26 |
| 1925 | #87 | 3,266 | #2,193 | 14 |
| 1924 | #86 | 3,404 | #1,727 | 21 |
| 1923 | #81 | 3,387 | #2,224 | 14 |
| 1922 | #81 | 3,447 | #1,503 | 25 |
| 1921 | #75 | 3,678 | #2,502 | 12 |
| 1920 | #71 | 3,906 | #2,231 | 14 |
| 1919 | #59 | 4,106 | #2,385 | 12 |
| 1918 | #61 | 4,101 | #1,998 | 16 |
| 1917 | #61 | 3,927 | #1,900 | 16 |
| 1916 | #56 | 4,122 | #2,543 | 10 |
| 1915 | #57 | 3,888 | #1,878 | 15 |
| 1914 | #55 | 3,260 | #1,868 | 12 |
| 1913 | #47 | 2,952 | #1,441 | 14 |
| 1912 | #43 | 2,832 | #1,174 | 16 |
| 1911 | #40 | 2,279 | #1,190 | 9 |
| 1910 | #37 | 2,392 | #928 | 12 |
| 1909 | #35 | 2,276 | #840 | 12 |
| 1908 | #34 | 2,201 | #1,373 | 5 |
| 1907 | #30 | 2,311 | #815 | 11 |
| 1906 | #21 | 2,396 | #1,004 | 7 |
| 1905 | #20 | 2,446 | #836 | 9 |
| 1904 | #21 | 2,340 | #1,205 | 5 |
| 1903 | #21 | 2,339 | #576 | 15 |
| 1902 | #19 | 2,448 | #933 | 7 |
| 1901 | #21 | 2,183 | #637 | 11 |
| 1900 | #15 | 3,044 | #785 | 11 |
| 1899 | #19 | 2,280 | — | |
| 1898 | #16 | 2,647 | #1,002 | 6 |
| 1897 | #17 | 2,407 | #942 | 6 |
| 1896 | #18 | 2,435 | #641 | 12 |
| 1895 | #15 | 2,542 | #872 | 7 |
| 1894 | #13 | 2,520 | #521 | 15 |
| 1893 | #15 | 2,352 | #768 | 8 |
| 1892 | #13 | 2,541 | #597 | 12 |
| 1891 | #12 | 2,323 | #700 | 8 |
| 1890 | #11 | 2,370 | — | |
| 1889 | #9 | 2,343 | #789 | 7 |
| 1888 | #10 | 2,278 | #580 | 12 |
| 1887 | #13 | 1,838 | #921 | 5 |
| 1886 | #12 | 1,791 | #959 | 5 |
| 1885 | #13 | 1,588 | #765 | 7 |
| 1884 | #15 | 1,451 | #971 | 5 |
| 1883 | #18 | 1,241 | — | |
| 1882 | #18 | 1,144 | #652 | 9 |
| 1881 | #22 | 903 | #653 | 8 |
| 1880 | #23 | 796 | — | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Bessie was already there! It came in at #23, and was given to 796 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 2004, when fewer than 8 girls a year got the name.
Where Bessie is popular in 1966
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- Mississippi#209 · 1 in 975
- South Carolina#287 · 1 in 1,769
- Alabama#305 · 1 in 1,972
- West Virginia#335 · 1 in 2,522
- Virginia#363 · 1 in 2,856
Best ever in a state: #6 in Alabama, 1911.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #209 | 20 | 1 in 975 |
| South Carolina | #287 | 12 | 1 in 1,769 |
| Alabama | #305 | 14 | 1 in 1,972 |
| West Virginia | #335 | 5 | 1 in 2,522 |
| Virginia | #363 | 12 | 1 in 2,856 |
| Georgia | #392 | 13 | 1 in 2,975 |
| Kentucky | #429 | 6 | 1 in 4,138 |
| North Carolina | #460 | 9 | 1 in 4,410 |
| Tennessee | #483 | 6 | 1 in 5,055 |
| Louisiana | #549 | 7 | 1 in 4,577 |
| Ohio | #564 | 12 | 1 in 7,099 |
| Missouri | #585 | 5 | 1 in 6,915 |
| Texas | #668 | 15 | 1 in 6,126 |
| New York | #697 | 17 | 1 in 8,578 |
| Illinois | #811 | 8 | 1 in 10,998 |
| California | #1,266 | 8 | 1 in 19,219 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Michigan | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Jersey | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Bessie
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
- 2,718 spots since 2024 (#9,556 → #6,838)
- 85 spots since 2020 (#6,923 → #6,838)
- 2,643 spots since 2015 (#9,481 → #6,838)
- Biggest jump: 76 spots in 1975 (#1,033 → #957)
- Biggest drop: 165 spots in 1976 (#957 → #1,122)
Rise & fade · girls
9 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1889 at #9 (2,343 births)
- Births halved by 1943, 54 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 2 yrs
- Top 10: 2 yrs · run 1888–1889
- Top 100: 48 yrs · run 1880–1927
- Top 1,000: 95 yrs · run 1880–1973
Share of babies · girls
1 in 76
- Highest: 1 in 76 girls born in 1889 were named Bessie (1.3%)
- Latest: 1 in 100,454 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1910s
- 19.9% of all girls named Bessie (33,859) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 15,373 | #9 (1889) | #15 |
| 1890s | 24,417 | #11 (1890) | #15 |
| 1900s | 23,984 | #15 (1900) | #24 |
| 1910s | 33,859 | #37 (1910) | #52 |
| 1920s | 32,158 | #71 (1920) | #87 |
| 1930s | 18,035 | #108 (1930) | #130 |
| 1940s | 11,062 | #162 (1940) | #202 |
| 1950s | 5,942 | #270 (1950) | #365 |
| 1960s | 2,592 | #493 (1960) | #634 |
| 1970s | 1,207 | #844 (1970) | #1,058 |
| 1980s | 749 | #1,253 (1981) | #1,652 |
| 1990s | 386 | #1,905 (1990) | #3,415 |
| 2000s | 180 | #3,983 (2000) | #7,465 |
| 2010s | 109 | #7,031 (2013) | #9,833 |
| 2020s | 87 | #6,691 (2021) | #7,548 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Bessie in 1966
girls
#686
202 births · 1 in 8,377 girls
Top girls' names in 1966
More about 1966
girls
1,692,177 girls got a published name in 1966; 1 in 8,377 of them was named Bessie, which outranked 91.0% of the 7,624 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).