Bessie
BESS-ee
A cheerful nickname name that comes from Elizabeth and carries the sense of “God’s oath.”
Meaning
Bessie is a familiar diminutive of Elizabeth, ultimately tied to the Hebrew element understood in these sources as “God’s oath.” The excerpts also show it as a Scottish form, used as a baptismal name and as a nickname alongside Bess, Bessy, and Lizzie. In other words, the name’s root meaning comes from Elizabeth, while Bessie itself developed as an affectionate shortened form.
Origin
EnglishScottishHebrewfeminine
Fun fact
The excerpts group Bessie with a whole family of Elizabeth nicknames, including Bess, Betty, Libby, and the Scottish Lizzie.
Confidence: sourced. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.