Elizabeth
Elizabeth is a girls' name of Hebrew origin meaning “my God is an oath.” It ranked #17 in the United States in 2025. From the Hebrew Elisheba meaning my God is an oath.
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how do you pronounce Elizabeth?
eh-LIZ-ah-beth
where does the name Elizabeth come from?
From the Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheva), joining El, meaning God, with sheva, connected to both oath and the number seven. It reads as my God is an oath, though the overlap between swearing and sevening in Hebrew makes the second element genuinely ambiguous.
Borne by two English queens including Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II, and countless saints, it is one of the most historically significant names in the Western world.
the history of Elizabeth
Elisheva is the wife of Aaron in Exodus, and Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist in Luke, so the name spans both testaments. Elizabeth I gave her name to an age and a style; Elizabeth II reigned for seventy years. Its unusual richness of short forms — Bess, Betty, Eliza, Libby, Lisa, Beth — has let it stay in use continuously for five centuries without ever sounding fixed to one era.
what are the nicknames and variants of Elizabeth?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
how popular is this name?
Elizabeth has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 146 years since 1880. It peaked at #3 in 1887, and ranked #17 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #17 |
| 2024 | #17 |
| 2023 | #15 |
| 2022 | #15 |
| 2021 | #14 |
| 2020 | #16 |
| 2019 | #14 |
| 2018 | #13 |
| 2017 | #13 |
| 2016 | #13 |
| 2010 | #12 |
| 2000 | #9 |
| 1990 | #9 |
| 1980 | #9 |
| 1970 | #18 |
| 1960 | #18 |
| 1950 | #24 |
| 1940 | #20 |
| 1930 | #15 |
| 1920 | #8 |
| 1910 | #7 |
| 1900 | #6 |
| 1890 | #3 |
| 1887 | #3 |
| 1880 | #4 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Elizabeth fell outside the top 1,000.
who are famous people named Elizabeth?
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Elizabeth Warren
what names are similar to Elizabeth?
what names go well with Elizabeth?
Sibling names that share Elizabeth's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Elizabeth
What does the name Elizabeth mean?
Elizabeth means “my God is an oath”.
What is the origin of the name Elizabeth?
Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew naming tradition. Related forms include Elisabeth, Isabella, Elzbieta and Elisabet.
How popular is the name Elizabeth?
Elizabeth ranked #17 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1887, at #3, and it has spent 146 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Elizabeth a boy or girl name?
Elizabeth is primarily a girls' name.
How do you pronounce Elizabeth?
Elizabeth is pronounced eh-LIZ-ah-beth, with 4 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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