Newborn Baby Name Elizabeth

Liz, Liza, Eliza, Lib, Bess, Lissa, Libby, Beth, Betsy, Betty, Lizzie, Bessie, Lisbeth …have you ever SEEN so many nicknames?

All from one original name. It is often paired with other names like Mary, Anne or Sarah to make a new name….what is this favorite name of names?

You guessed it!   

Elizabeth!

This is a name given to characters in the Bible, actresses, politicians and queens… lots and lots of queens!

A name that has lasted through decades, through generations, through the ages.

A family of names… a great-grandmother named Liz, a grandmother named Bessie, a mother named Betty, a daughter named Libby… four generations of the same name, all with a different spin on it.  Spin it again and you get Isabelle, Elspeth, Elisabetta, Lillibeth and Ysabeth. 

Variety and Tradition. That’s what the name Elizabeth is all about.

Since the year 2000, the name Elizabeth has been ranked in the top 10 Most Popular Names six out of ten times, and the other four times, it was Number Eleven.

As a matter of fact, it has been ranked in the top 15 most popular names for every decade of the last century, except one, and even then, it was #23.

It has been so popular that it averaged out to be the 4th most popular name in the last 100 years. As names go, the Elizabeths have it! 

Elizabeth is a girl’s name… never heard of a boy named Elizabeth… well, OK, there was one… on the TV show “Will and Grace” the character of Jack had an assistant that he called Elizabeth as revenge for “Elizabeth’s” not being gay!). 

The word Elizabeth (Elisheba in the Greek) means “God’s promise” or “oath.” 

The name was first used in the Bible. Elisheba was the wife of Aaron, and by marrying him, she united the tribes of Judah and Levi, who were direct ancestors of Jesus Christ.

She has been referred to as the matriarch of the lineage of Jesus. The other Elizabeth in the Bible was the mother of John the Baptist and was a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus… powerful connections!

Then there are the queens… too many to count. It started with the 16th Century Queen Elizabeth I and there have been many many since then from many many countries, including the current Queen Elizabeth of England. 

Other Famous Elizabeths, all with a legacy of power and influence Elizabeth Taylor, Academy Award winning actress.

Elizabeth Dole, politician’s wife and Secretary of Labor and of Transportation.

Beth Moore, evangelist and spiritual leader.

Liza Minelli, Tony Award-winning actress and singer.

Liz Claiborne, Award-winning fashion designer.

Elizabeth Browning, poet.

Betty Ford, President’s wife and founder of the Betty Ford Clinic.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Women’s Rights activist.

How many more can you think of?