Betti
A short form of the Italian feminine names Elisabetta or Roberta.
Name Census estimates that about 437 living Americans carry the first name Betti. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Betti today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Betti births was 1946 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Betti. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Betti is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Bettis were born before 1966.
People living today
437
~ 1 in 784,335 Americans
Peak year
1946
37 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1995 SSA rank
#10,651
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Betti: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Betti from the 1910s through to the 1990s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1940s, with 246 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1940s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Betti by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Betti during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Bettis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Washington recorded the most babies named Betti, while Washington, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Betti
The name Betti is believed to have originated from the Italian language, specifically from the region of Tuscany. It is a diminutive form of the name Elisabetta, which is the Italian variation of the Hebrew name Elizabeth, meaning "consecrated to God" or "my God is an oath." Betti gained popularity during the Middle Ages and Renaissance period in Italy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Betti can be found in the works of the renowned Italian poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321). In his literary masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, Dante mentions a character named Betti, suggesting the name's usage during that era.
During the Renaissance period, the name Betti was particularly popular among the aristocratic families of Florence. One notable figure from this time was Betti Serragli (1470-1533), a wealthy Florentine noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her support of artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael.
In the 17th century, Betti Castellani (1601-1676) was a celebrated Italian painter and engraver from Bologna. Her works were highly regarded, and she earned a reputation as a skilled portraitist.
Another notable figure was Betti Banti (1705-1767), an Italian operatic soprano who performed in various theaters across Europe, including the renowned La Scala in Milan. She was renowned for her vocal prowess and versatility in both comic and tragic roles.
In more recent history, Betti Gambarelli (1921-1997), better known by her stage name Betti Bettina, was an American modern dancer and choreographer. She was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and had a significant influence on the development of the art form in the United States.
While the name Betti has maintained its presence throughout history, particularly in Italy, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, often as a diminutive form of names like Elizabeth or Elisabetta.
People
Betti + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Betti as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Betti: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Betti?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 437 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Betti going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 784,335 US residents.
Is Betti a common name?
We classify Betti as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 849 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Betti most popular?
The single biggest year for Betti was 1946, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Betti is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Betti a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Betti in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.