Betha
BETH-uh
A short form tied to Elizabeth, with the sense of “God is my oath,” and also used in some traditions as a life-name.
Meaning
In the excerpted name books, Betha is presented as a form related to Bethia and Elizabeth, ultimately from Hebrew elements meaning “God’s oath” or “my God is an oath.” The same source also notes a Keltic/Gaelic association with the meaning “life,” so the name has more than one traditional interpretation in these books.
Origin
HebrewEnglishGermanicSwissfeminine
Fun fact
One 19th-century source notes Betha as a fashionable Latinized form of Elizabeth in English usage, and also lists it among Swiss forms.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature.