In the Old Testament, Elizabeth appears in its Hebrew form Elisheva as the wife of Aaron, who is the brother of Moses. In the New Testament, it appears in the Greek form as Elisabet, who is the mother of John the Baptist. According to the Bible, Mary, pregnant with Jesus, goes on a journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist at the time. When she hears Mary’s voice calling out a greeting to her, the baby leapt in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Elizabeth is a classic name that never seems to lose its appeal. It has been a popular name since the early 1900s, having been a top-30 baby name for girls in the U.S. throughout the past century.  The name Elizabeth was extremely popular in the first part of the 1900s, holding a top 10 spot from 1900 to 1925. It only dropped to its lowest ranking of 26 around the late 1940s. It then steadily increased in popularity again until it made it back to the top 10 in the 1980s. The 2020 statistics rank the name Elizabeth as the 16th most popular name for girls in America. Its shortened form or variations can certainly be used however you see fit. Masculine variations are not common, but names such as Eli and Eliseo can have the same meaning.

Name Variations

As it is a biblical name, Elizabeth has an equivalent in many different languages:

Isabella (Italian)Isobel (Scottish)Isabel (Spanish)Elisabeta (Romanian)Elisabete (Portuguese)Élisabeth (French)Eliisabet (Estonian)Elikapeka (Hawaiian)

Similar Names

ElsbethBethanyIsabelleLisaElisa

Common Nicknames

Elizabeth allows for many nicknames that can suggest a variety of personalities: 

BessBetteBettyBetseyBessieBettaEliEllieElsabetEliseElizaElsaBabetteBettinaLisbethLizLizzieLiza

Suggested Sibling Names

Other girl names from the Bible and from English royal tradition:

Miriam Sarah Hannah Abigail Leah Rebecca Mary Martha Victoria Margaret Catherine Eleanor Anne

Famous People Named Elizabeth

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Queen Elizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth Taylor, actressElizabeth Hurley, actressBetty White, actressElizabeth Arden, makeup brand iconElizabeth “Betsy” Ross, maker of the first American flagBetty Wright, R&B singerBetty Friedan, feminist writerBetty Carter, Jazz singerElizabeth Warren, politicianBette Midler, singer and actress

Fictional Elizabeths

Elizabeth Bennett, fictional character from Pride and PrejudiceElizabeth “Beth” March, fictional character from Little WomenBetty Rubble, fictional character from The FlintstonesElizabeth “Betty” Cooper, fictional character from Archie comics

Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names in the U.S. 100 Biblical Baby Names 50 Hebrew Baby Names