Girls' name · since 1883

Bettye

Bettye has 22,920 recorded births since 1883 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1933 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#970 of 72,339
all-time among girls
22,920
born since 1883
1930s
peak decade

Bettye sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 22,920 recorded since 1883.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bettye has been recorded 22,920 times among girls since 1883, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1930s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1883 to 1998.

  • #970 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 22,920 born since 1883
  • 1930s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bettye ranks #970 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 22,920 born since 1883, peaking in the 1930s.

#970 of 72,339
all-time among girls
22,920
born since 1883
1930s
peak decade
Upper archive tier
All-time archive position

Bettye's 22,920 recorded births place it above 98.65% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

27 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

27 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.

Bettye's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Bettye's SSA record in two at 1944 and the more recent half accounts for 33% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 67%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1883, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1933 peak of 763, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Bettye popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–1998

Last recorded 1998
Peak year (1933)
763
Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
02004006008001,000 188319061919193219451958197119841998 5

Bettye popularity over time - boys

47 total births recorded since 1930 (Bettye as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 47 births
456789 19301932193519361939194019411942 5

Bettye by decade

1930s is the heaviest window (7,051 births, 31% of the file).

1930s was Bettye's strongest decade.

7,051 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.

Bettye births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1930s at 7,051 births (31% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Bettye 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 Bettye's total volume

Bettye vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -73, 3.6%-37, 8.1%-106, 7.2%-63, 10.5%-146, 2%-146, 2.7%-71, 5.4%-133, 2.6%-77, 5.6%-69, 5.3%-81, 3.4%-111, 2.2%-80, 9.6%-108, 4%-146, 1.9%Bettye-116, 3.3%Bettye
Bettye vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Bettye by state

Where Bettye concentrates geographically, total births since 1883

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Bettye
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Texas
3,264 14.2%
#2 Tennessee
2,580 11.3%
#3 Alabama
2,542 11.1%
#4 Mississippi
2,283 10.0%
#5 Georgia
1,640 7.2%
#6 Arkansas
1,383 6.0%
#7 Louisiana
1,115 4.9%
#8 Kentucky
882 3.8%
Texas share of Bettye's total US births 14.2%
Even split

3,264 of 22,920 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.

Bettye appears in 27 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Bettye?
22,920 babies have been named Bettye since 1883. All-time, it sits at #970 of 72,339 girls' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1998. The peak year was 1933 with 763 births.
Where does Bettye sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Bettye ranks #970 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Bettye most popular?
Bettye was most popular in the 1930s decade with 7,051 total births. The single peak year was 1933.
Where is Bettye most popular?
The top states for the name Bettye are Texas (3,264 births), Tennessee (2,580 births), Alabama (2,542 births).
How long has the name Bettye been used?
The SSA has tracked Bettye since 1883 -- 116 years through the most recent 1998 data.
What names are similar to Bettye?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Betty, Beth, Bethany, Betsy, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Bettye's data

  • Bettye's decade-level peak was the 1930s (7,051 total births); usage has since declined to 38 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Texas records the most Bettyes (3,264 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Bettye

Nearby Names Like Bettye

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bettye

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Bettye: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1883–1998 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Bettye 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 August 2026.