Total births
159,430
Girls' name · since 1884
Beth
Since 1884, U.S. Social Security records show 159,430 babies named Beth, peaking in 1961. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3049
- among girls today
- 159,430
- born since 1884
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other girls
159,430 babies have been named Beth since 1884, making it today's #3049 girls' name.
Social Security Administration records show Beth recorded 159,430 times among girls since 1884, holding rank #3049 nationally today, ahead of 83% of girls, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2025.
- #3049 among girls today
- 159,430 born since 1884
- 1960s peak decade
- 83% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Beth is currently the #3049 girls' name in America, more common than 83% of girls - 159,430 born since 1884, peaking in the 1960s.
- #3049
- among girls today
- 159,430
- born since 1884
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other girls
Beth vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3049
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 83% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Beth was born in this single decade.
1961
Single peak year
6,716 babies were named Beth in 1961 - its busiest year on record.
How Beth compares
159,430 Top 1% higher than 99% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Beth's all-time total is 417x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Beth | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 159,430 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 6,716 | 48 | 19,840 |
Beth's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Beth splits its recorded history at 1955: 82% of all births land in the more recent half, 18% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1884 (6 births) -- compare that against the 1961 peak of 6,716 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Beth at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1961
Current rank
#3,049
Active since
1884
Beth popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2025
- Peak year (1961)
- 6,716
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Beth popularity over time - boys
325 total births recorded since 1954 (Beth as boys' name)
Beth by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Beth's strongest decade.
58,384 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Beth births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 77
1880s
77 births
- 1890s 240
1890s
240 births
- 1900s 334
1900s
334 births
- 1910s 2,027
1910s
2,027 births
- 1920s 3,101
1920s
3,101 births
- 1930s 3,311
1930s
3,311 births
- 1940s 8,661
1940s
8,661 births
- 1950s
1950s
33,987 births
- 1960s
1960s
58,384 births
- 1970s
1970s
28,860 births
- 1980s 15,373
1980s
15,373 births
- 1990s 3,457
1990s
3,457 births
- 2000s 942
2000s
942 births
- 2010s 412
2010s
412 births
- 2020s 264
2020s
264 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 58,384 births (37% of all-time use).
How Beth compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Beth's total volume
Beth vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Beth by state
Where Beth concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 16,278 | 10.2% |
| #2 | New York | | 14,288 | 9.0% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 14,202 | 8.9% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 10,311 | 6.5% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 9,506 | 6.0% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 7,689 | 4.8% |
| #7 | California | | 6,999 | 4.4% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 5,872 | 3.7% |
Pennsylvania share of Beth's total US births 10.2%
Even split
16,278 of 159,430 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Beth appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Beth? ▼
159,430 babies have been named Beth since 1884. It currently ranks #3049 among girls. The peak year was 1961 with 6,716 births.
When was Beth most popular? ▼
Beth was most popular in the 1960s decade with 58,384 total births. The single peak year was 1961.
Where is Beth most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Beth are Pennsylvania (16,278 births), New York (14,288 births), Ohio (14,202 births).
How long has the name Beth been used? ▼
Beth has been recorded in Social Security data since 1884, spanning 142 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Beth? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Betty, Bethany, Betsy, Bettie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Beth's data
- Beth's decade-level peak was the 1960s (58,384 total births); usage has since declined to 264 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Beths (16,278 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Beth
Nearby Names Like Beth
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Beth
Betty Girl
#1012 1,001,238 births
Bethany Girl
#725 100,902 births
Betsy Girl
#2415 48,947 births
Bettie Girl
#8443 38,395 births
Bette Girl
#8984 34,897 births
Compare Beth side by side: Beth vs Betty Beth vs Bethany Beth vs Betsy
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Beth
Laurie #3048
166,488 births · Peak 1962
Rafaela #3050
3,516 births · Peak 2011
Mallie #3047
3,462 births · Peak 2022
Joann #3051
156,892 births · Peak 1942
Aayat #3046
517 births · Peak 2022
Adria #3052
6,506 births · Peak 1979
Icelyn #3045
303 births · Peak 2024
Truly #3053
1,092 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1884–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Beth: #3049 Girls' Name - 159,430 Births, Peak 1961." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/beth. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Beth draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.