Given name & surname

Elizabeth

“God is my oath”·“My God is bountiful”

Elizabeth brings together a Hebrew religious meaning, a New Testament bearer and centuries of royal use. It also has an unusually varied set of familiar forms, ranging from Eliza and Beth to Bess, Betty, Libby and Lizzie.

Original GreekΕλισαβετ

Find names like Elizabeth

Meaning & origin

What it means

“God is my oath” is the etymological interpretation given for Elisabeth, the same name in a different spelling. “My God is bountiful” is another recorded interpretation, but the two should be kept distinct rather than blended into one literal translation.

Where it comes from

Elizabeth is the usual English spelling of Elisabeth. The related biblical forms connect it with the Hebrew name Elisheba, borne by Aaron’s wife.

How it developed

English generally uses Elizabeth with a z, where many European languages retain Elisabeth with an s. Elisabeth is connected with Elisheba; its final element may have been reshaped through association with Hebrew shabbath, “sabbath.”

The story

The New Testament Elisabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. English royal associations include Elizabeth I and, in the twentieth century, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and her daughter Elizabeth II. The name’s familiar forms developed along several paths, including Eliza, Beth, Bess, Betty, Libby and Lizzie.

In the Bible

In the Bible, the name Elizabeth appears in Luke 1:36, Genesis 49:10, Micah 5:2. It is mentioned 9 times in the New Testament.

Luke 1:36
Genesis 49:10
Micah 5:2

From biblical name research

Elizabeth through the years

Babies since 1880: 1,693,973; 5,216 boys · 1,688,757 girls
Most popular year: 1990; 20,841 babies
2025: 6,765; #17 for girls · #12,572 for boys
2021–25 vs 2016–20: −19%; Easing

Elizabeth in U.S. Social Security birth records, 1880–2025, per million girls born. Years with fewer than five births for a sex are not published and appear as zero. Use the arrow keys to step through years.

Where it’s given

Most at home inDistrict of Columbia, New Hampshire, Mississippi

FewerMore, relative to births Not published

2025 births by state of birth. Tiles are equal-sized so small states stay visible. Highest rates: District of Columbia (22), New Hampshire (35), Mississippi (81), Montana (27), Alabama (163).

By the numbers

In 2025, this name appeared in 6,760 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 17 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 18.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 20,750 in 1990. It also appeared in 5 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (771). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,206,652 as a first name in 2020; 1,161 as a surname in 2020.

From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.

Elizabeth’s family of names

Elizabeth has a short form in Lisa. Elizabeth shares a linguistic root with Isabel. In English usage, Elizabeth has a conventional equivalent in the Latin form Isabella.

Walk Elizabeth’s family in the name graph

Around the world

Elizabeth has relatives in 46 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.

98 related names in 46 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.

Each dot marks where a language is rooted, not where people with the name live today. Bigger dots hold more names. Dots on the border stand for languages further away. Language locations from Glottolog (CC BY 4.0); map from Natural Earth.

Nicknames & forms 92

Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.

Show 52 moreShow fewer

And 32 more.

Spellings & scripts 2

The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.

Across languages 85

Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.

Show 52 moreShow fewer

And 25 more.

People named Elizabeth

Characters named Elizabeth: Elizabeth Swann (the Pirates of the Caribbean film series), Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice), Elizabeth Weir (the television series Stargate Atlantis), Liz Sherman (Hellboy comics character).

Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.

Similar names

If you love Elizabeth, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.

Aramaic · Biblical

Sibling ideas

Names that share Elizabeth’s feel without repeating its first letter or rhyming with it.

A brother for Elizabeth

A sister for Elizabeth

Your shortlist

Elizabeth

Meaning & origin

What it means

Where it comes from

How it developed

The story

In the Bible

Elizabeth through the years

Where it’s given

By the numbers

Elizabeth’s family of names

Around the world

Nicknames & forms 92

Spellings & scripts 2

Across languages 85

See also 8

People named Elizabeth

Appears in

Similar names

Samantha

Jessica

Abigail

Rebecca

Sarah

Rachel

Mary

Yessica

Sibling ideas

Sign in