Elizabeth
ih-LIZ-uh-beth
A classic biblical name meaning “God’s oath” or “pledged to God.”
Meaning
The name Elizabeth is traditionally traced to Hebrew Elisheva, understood as “God is my oath” or “God’s oath.” In the excerpted 19th-century sources, Elizabeth is glossed as “God’s oath,” and the Gaelic form Ealasaid is noted as a form of Elizabeth. The name passed into English through Greek and biblical tradition.
Origin
HebrewGreekEnglishGaelicfeminine
Fun fact
The name has produced many familiar nicknames and variants, including Eliza, Bessie, and the Gaelic Ealasaid.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.