Bessie
Bessie is a feminine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Elizabeth, Beatrice and other names since the 16th century. It is sometimes a name in its own right.
Meaning & Origin of Bessie
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Bessie is a feminine given name, often a diminutive form (hypocorism) of Elizabeth, Beatrice and other names since the 16th century. It is sometimes a name in its own right.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Bessie
Bessie first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 796 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1916, when 4,122 Bessies were born — ranking #56 that year. As of 2026, Bessie ranks #8,673 for baby girls with 10 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 170K Bessies have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Bessie
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Bessie Abott (1878–1919), American operatic soprano
- Bessie Acland (1870–1959), New Zealand painter
- Bessie Anthony (1880–1912), American golfer
- Bessie Anstice Baker (1849–1914), Australian writer
- Bessie Bamber , British artist
- Bessie Bangay (1889–1987), English church worker
- Bessie Banks (actress) (1887–1969), American actress and screenwriter
- Bessie Banks (born 1938), American soul singer
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Bessie
Phonetically similar names — useful when Bessie is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bessie
What does the name Bessie mean?
How popular is Bessie in 2026?
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In which U.S. states is Bessie most popular?
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About the name Bessie
Bessie is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 170K births in the dataset. Bessie's peak popularity came in 1916 when it ranked #9. Use the chart and map above to compare Bessie's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1916 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.