Total births
22,920
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.
- 22,920
- total births
- 1883–1998
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that 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.
- 22,920 total births
- 1883–1998 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 31% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
22,920 girls have been named Bettye since 1883, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 1998.
- 22,920
- total births
- 1883–1998
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Bettye was born in this single decade.
1933
Single peak year
763 babies were named Bettye in 1933 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1998Peak year
1933
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1883
Bettye popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1883–1998
- Peak year (1933)
- 763
- Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
Bettye popularity over time - boys
47 total births recorded since 1930 (Bettye as boys' name)
Bettye by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 37
1890s
37 births
- 1900s 93
1900s
93 births
- 1910s 550
1910s
550 births
- 1920s
1920s
4,629 births
- 1930s
1930s
7,051 births
- 1940s
1940s
6,979 births
- 1950s 2,803
1950s
2,803 births
- 1960s 527
1960s
527 births
- 1970s 132
1970s
132 births
- 1980s 71
1980s
71 births
- 1990s 38
1990s
38 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 7,051 births (31% of all-time use).
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
Bettye by state
Where Bettye concentrates geographically, total births since 1883
| 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. It was last recorded in 1998. The peak year was 1933 with 763 births.
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
- 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 Bettye
Nearby Names Like Bettye
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Bettye
Betty Girl
#1012 1,001,238 births
Beth Girl
#3049 159,430 births
Bethany Girl
#725 100,902 births
Betsy Girl
#2415 48,947 births
Bettie Girl
#8443 38,395 births
Compare Bettye side by side: Bettye vs Betty Bettye vs Beth Bettye vs Bethany
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Bettye: Baby Name Since 1883 - 22,920 Births, Peak 1933." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/bettye. 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 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 July 2026.