Betty

Meaning

Betty is an English pet form of Elizabeth. In the excerpted etymology, it is traced through Elizabeth to a Hebrew name meaning “God is my oath” or “oath of my God.” It became especially common as a familiar, homely English form, and the excerpts also note its association with “Good Queen Bess.”

Origin

Fun fact

The excerpts note that Betty was once so common in villages that it fed an old riddle about all the contractions of Elizabeth.