Beth
Girl name · #3394 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Beth? In official American birth records, Beth has been tracked continuously since 1884, giving it 141 years of documented American history.
Beth is currently the #3394 girl name in the United States — 45 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3533, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 40,000 girls born in 2025 was named Beth.
Babies named Beth per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 141-year story
Beth first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1961, when 6,716 girls were named Beth — good for #65 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Beth against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Beth in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Beth is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Beth will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Beth is most common
State-level data for Beth is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Nicknames & related forms of Beth
Beth belongs to the Elizabeth family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
ElizabethLizLizzieBethElizaBettyBetsyLibby
Counted as one name, the Elizabeth family went to about 9,917 girls in 2025 — together they'd rank around #8, versus #3394 for Beth alone.
Names like Beth
Statistically, parents drawn to Beth tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Becky, Lora, Twila, Betsy, and Leigh.
BeckyLoraTwilaBetsyLeighBarbieKathySandy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Beth | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 | #3389 |
| 2024 | 53 | #3047 |
| 2023 | 31 | #4454 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3765 |
| 2021 | 52 | #3112 |
| 2020 | 43 | #3498 |
| 2019 | 33 | #4260 |
| 2018 | 46 | #3396 |
| 2017 | 38 | #3919 |
| 2016 | 39 | #3849 |
| 2015 | 44 | #3533 |
| 2014 | 45 | #3486 |
| 2013 | 35 | #4156 |
| 2012 | 47 | #3419 |
| 2011 | 49 | #3303 |
| 2010 | 36 | #4107 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3870 |
| 2008 | 69 | #2663 |
| 2007 | 61 | #2930 |
| 2006 | 85 | #2248 |
| 2005 | 57 | #2865 |
| 2004 | 103 | #1835 |
| 2003 | 103 | #1813 |
| 2002 | 107 | #1708 |
| 2001 | 156 | #1257 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Beth?
In official American birth records, the name Beth first appeared in 1884 (over 141 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Beth a popular girl name?
Beth ranked #3394 among girls in 2025 with 45 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3533.
When was the name Beth most popular?
Beth peaked in 1961, when 6,716 American girls received the name (ranked #65 that year). Since 1961 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Beth?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 40,000 newborn American girls was named Beth. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.