Betty

#1,113 for girls in 2025, 212 births · Last seen for boys in 1988 at #6,426
Given to girls 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1930 · 38,240 births
Debut · girls
117 births
In top 100 · girls
61 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
1,001,238
since 1880

Betty over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201961peak #2, 1930girls
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,113212—
2024#1,012253—
2023#1,186202—
2022#1,157210—
2021#1,187205—
2020#1,173198—
2019#1,377163—
2018#1,130216—
2017#1,317177—
2016#1,327179—
2015#1,266192—
2014#1,240196—
2013#1,321177—
2012#1,552141—
2011#1,372167—
2010#1,593136—
2009#1,516150—
2008#1,605141—
2007#1,645135—
2006#1,567138—
2005#1,525135—
2004#1,453140—
2003#1,365148—
2002#1,480129—
2001#1,277154—
2000#1,150176—
1999#1,088183—
1998#1,010197—
1997#1,019189—
1996#904217—
1995#830236—
1994#751276—
1993#725292—
1992#722296—
1991#642346—
1990#572406—
1989#561399—
1988#552395#6,4266
1987#497436#6,9515
1986#510408—
1985#437502#6,5235
1984#423504—
1983#390564#5,4846
1982#364635—
1981#354662#4,9617
1980#358658—
1979#331710—
1978#321714—
1977#293808#5,8455
1976#262908#4,9356
1975#2371,021#3,9418
1974#2281,131#3,31810
1973#1961,322#2,51315
1972#2041,364—
1971#1751,764#3,14610
1970#1691,966#3,5218
1969#1542,135#2,30814
1968#1532,133#1,83619
1967#1372,543#2,24213
1966#1212,946#1,72320
1965#1033,566#1,85618
1964#1024,070#2,11415
1963#1044,156#2,20014
1962#974,763#2,11715
1961#875,584#2,14815
1960#686,501#1,48629
1959#597,313#1,70922
1958#547,715#1,39631
1957#508,479#1,41131
1956#449,218#1,31734
1955#369,924#1,68221
1954#3610,620#1,24236
1953#3311,369#1,50825
1952#3212,129#1,15241
1951#2912,822#1,15039
1950#2613,615#1,28931
1949#2214,936#1,20535
1948#1816,625#1,07943
1947#1718,966#1,08145
1946#1419,711#98047
1945#1118,387#78262
1944#1019,761#72074
1943#1021,596#67789
1942#921,659#591111
1941#720,905#535121
1940#522,077#550115
1939#423,639#498130
1938#425,506#551110
1937#525,337#523122
1936#425,868#529116
1935#428,674#461151
1934#231,089#430170
1933#231,531#442156
1932#234,420#429169
1931#236,105#459151
1930#238,240#476156
1929#236,675#510133
1928#236,083#560119
1927#335,424#607105
1926#332,964#66091
1925#332,812#70384
1924#430,600#81768
1923#525,989#91356
1922#620,895#1,22235
1921#817,638#1,17837
1920#1114,016#1,50525
1919#1510,106#1,75219
1918#218,803#1,64821
1917#346,639#2,7329
1916#445,136#2,9268
1915#534,181#2,31011
1914#622,933#2,10110
1913#672,240#2,4966
1912#662,011—
1911#691,456—
1910#691,389#1,5895
1909#771,082#1,4405
1908#721,128#1,1137
1907#771,018#1,3455
1906#81865—
1905#85807#1,2335
1904#91707#8748
1903#98596—
1902#101580—
1901#112473—
1900#100665—
1899#119410—
1898#126421—
1897#132367—
1896#139342—
1895#131350—
1894#144298—
1893#139298—
1892#155255—
1891#146239—
1890#164216—
1889#159189—
1888#148214—
1887#144178—
1886#147167—
1885#144155—
1884#149144—
1883#150120—
1882#144123—
1881#140112—
1880#136117—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Betty was already there! It came in at #136, and was given to 117 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1886, when fewer than 170 girls a year got the name.

Where Betty is popular in 1961

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #87 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 269 girlsAKMaine: #99 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 373 girlsMEVermont: #71 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 234 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #117 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 469 girlsNHWashington: #131 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 515 girlsWAIdaho: #123 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 452 girlsIDMontana: #91 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 309 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #141 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 543 girlsNDMinnesota: #124 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 537 girlsMNIllinois: #113 for girls · 217 births · 1 in 491 girlsILWisconsin: #108 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 475 girlsWIMichigan: #106 for girls · 189 births · 1 in 460 girlsMINew York: #145 for girls · 238 births · 1 in 706 girlsNYMassachusetts: #162 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 982 girlsMARhode Island: #163 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 915 girlsRIOregon: #132 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 537 girlsORNevada: #128 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 430 girlsNVWyoming: #114 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 366 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #123 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 471 girlsSDIowa: #165 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 809 girlsIAIndiana: #84 for girls · 142 births · 1 in 351 girlsINOhio: #97 for girls · 264 births · 1 in 395 girlsOHPennsylvania: #110 for girls · 251 births · 1 in 442 girlsPANew Jersey: #126 for girls · 95 births · 1 in 618 girlsNJConnecticut: #135 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 646 girlsCTCalifornia: #153 for girls · 267 births · 1 in 656 girlsCAUtah: #140 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 530 girlsUTColorado: #109 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 398 girlsCONebraska: #129 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 548 girlsNEMissouri: #76 for girls · 138 births · 1 in 321 girlsMOKentucky: #45 for girls · 182 births · 1 in 175 girlsKYWest Virginia: #47 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 191 girlsWVVirginia: #43 for girls · 221 births · 1 in 182 girlsVAMaryland: #78 for girls · 98 births · 1 in 309 girlsMDDelaware: #129 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 511 girlsDEArizona: #95 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 366 girlsAZNew Mexico: #69 for girls · 49 births · 1 in 244 girlsNMKansas: #89 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 357 girlsKSArkansas: #41 for girls · 115 births · 1 in 152 girlsARTennessee: #43 for girls · 220 births · 1 in 165 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #35 for girls · 325 births · 1 in 150 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #30 for girls · 212 births · 1 in 122 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #153 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 630 girlsDCOklahoma: #77 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 326 girlsOKLouisiana: #53 for girls · 172 births · 1 in 221 girlsLAMississippi: #19 for girls · 238 births · 1 in 104 girlsMSAlabama: #41 for girls · 199 births · 1 in 173 girlsALGeorgia: #39 for girls · 275 births · 1 in 162 girlsGAHawaii: #251 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,017 girlsHITexas: #68 for girls · 374 births · 1 in 299 girlsTXFlorida: #60 for girls · 194 births · 1 in 258 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Mississippi#19 · 1 in 104
  2. South Carolina#30 · 1 in 122
  3. North Carolina#35 · 1 in 150
  4. Georgia#39 · 1 in 162
  5. Arkansas#41 · 1 in 152

Best ever in a state: #1 in Washington, 1923.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#192381 in 104
South Carolina#302121 in 122
North Carolina#353251 in 150
Georgia#392751 in 162
Alabama#411991 in 173
Arkansas#411151 in 152
Tennessee#432201 in 165
Virginia#432211 in 182
Kentucky#451821 in 175
West Virginia#47881 in 191
Louisiana#531721 in 221
Florida#601941 in 258
Texas#683741 in 299
New Mexico#69491 in 244
Vermont#71151 in 234
Missouri#761381 in 321
Oklahoma#77641 in 326
Maryland#78981 in 309
Indiana#841421 in 351
Alaska#87101 in 269
Kansas#89571 in 357
Montana#91211 in 309
Arizona#95421 in 366
Ohio#972641 in 395
Maine#99271 in 373
Michigan#1061891 in 460
Wisconsin#108931 in 475
Colorado#109501 in 398
Pennsylvania#1102511 in 442
Illinois#1132171 in 491
Wyoming#11481 in 366
New Hampshire#117121 in 469
Idaho#123141 in 452
South Dakota#123151 in 471
Minnesota#124721 in 537
New Jersey#126951 in 618
Nevada#12861 in 430
Delaware#12991 in 511
Nebraska#129271 in 548
Washington#131541 in 515
Oregon#132291 in 537
Connecticut#135381 in 646
Utah#140201 in 530
North Dakota#141121 in 543
New York#1452381 in 706
California#1532671 in 656
District of Columbia#153211 in 630
Massachusetts#162551 in 982
Rhode Island#16391 in 915
Iowa#165351 in 809
Hawaii#25161 in 1,017

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 Betty
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 101 spots since 2024 (#1,012 → #1,113)
  • 60 spots since 2020 (#1,173 → #1,113)
  • 153 spots since 2015 (#1,266 → #1,113)
  • Biggest jump: 19 spots in 1900 (#119 → #100)
  • Biggest drop: 115 spots in 1997 (#904 → #1,019)
Rise & fade · girls
50 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1930 at #2 (38,240 births)
  • Births halved by 1945, 15 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 24 yrs
  • Top 10: 24 yrs · run 1921–1944
  • Top 100: 61 yrs · run 1903–1962
  • Top 1,000: 117 yrs · run 1880–1996
Share of babies · girls
1 in 29
  • Highest: 1 in 29 girls born in 1930 were named Betty (3.4%)
  • Latest: 1 in 7,581 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · girls
The 1930s
  • 30.0% of all girls named Betty (300,409) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,519#136 (1880)#146
1890s3,196#119 (1899)#140
1900s7,921#72 (1908)#89
1910s44,894#15 (1919)#50
1920s283,096#2 (1929)#5
1930s300,409#2 (1930)#3
1940s194,623#5 (1940)#12
1950s103,204#26 (1950)#40
1960s38,397#68 (1960)#113
1970s11,708#169 (1970)#242
1980s5,163#354 (1981)#445
1990s2,638#572 (1990)#826
2000s1,446#1,150 (2000)#1,458
2010s1,744#1,130 (2018)#1,350
2020s1,280#1,012 (2024)#1,138

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.

Betty in 1961

girls
#87
5,584 births · 1 in 361 girls
boys
#2,148
15 births · 1 in 141,613 boys

Top girls' names in 1961

  1. #1Mary47,682
  2. #2Lisa42,720
  3. #3Susan37,532
  4. #4Linda35,597
  5. #5Karen34,707
  6. #6Patricia28,889
  7. #7Donna28,679
  8. #8Cynthia24,393
  9. #9Sandra24,153
  10. #10Deborah24,107
  11. #87Betty5,584

Top boys' names in 1961

  1. #1Michael86,974
  2. #2David84,810
  3. #3John79,983
  4. #4James75,969
  5. #5Robert72,977
  6. #6Mark57,796
  7. #7William48,045
  8. #8Richard41,142
  9. #9Thomas37,565
  10. #10Steven32,275
  11. #2,148Betty15
More about 1961

girls

2,018,495 girls got a published name in 1961; 1 in 361 of them was named Betty, which outranked 98.8% of the 7,527 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Betty
  1. #84Leslie5,668
  2. #85Shirley5,638
  3. #86Katherine5,632
  4. #87Betty5,584
  5. #88Peggy5,567
  6. #89Joan5,551
  7. #90Anne5,524
Biggest movers since 1960
Risers
  1. ↑ 997Corinna#1,811 → #814
  2. ↑ 789Sabra#1,637 → #848
  3. ↑ 745Velvet#1,286 → #541
  4. ↑ 601Johnna#1,043 → #442
  5. ↑ 600Damita#1,597 → #997
Fallers
  1. ↓ 317Sheena#980 → #1,297
  2. ↓ 253Lita#909 → #1,162
  3. ↓ 241Jannette#970 → #1,211
  4. ↓ 229Francisca#939 → #1,168
  5. ↓ 214Andra#822 → #1,036

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,124,195 boys got a published name in 1961; 1 in 141,613 of them was named Betty, which outranked 53.9% of the 4,657 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Betty
  1. #2,070York16
  2. #2,070Young16
  3. #2,070Yvonne16
  4. #2,148Betty15
  5. #2,148Ardell15
  6. #2,148Arlo15
  7. #2,148Arvid15
  8. #2,242Aldon14
  9. #2,242Andrei14
  10. #2,242Arland14

Tied with 93 names at #2,148; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1960
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,171Parrish#4,038 → #867
  2. ↑ 589Brook#1,252 → #663
  3. ↑ 467Osvaldo#1,434 → #967
  4. ↑ 426Shayne#1,152 → #726
  5. ↑ 367Pernell#1,295 → #928
Fallers
  1. ↓ 425Wayde#672 → #1,097
  2. ↓ 380Yancy#923 → #1,303
  3. ↓ 301Jonas#905 → #1,206
  4. ↓ 264Tobin#833 → #1,097
  5. ↓ 253Keenan#748 → #1,001

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1961 →