Diminutive of Elizabeth, from Hebrew meaning 'God is my oath.'
Bette began its life as a diminutive, clipped from Elizabeth or occasionally Beatrice, and shares the same deep Germanic and Hebrew roots as its longer forms — Elizabeth deriving from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning 'my God is an oath' or 'my God is abundance.' The spelling with the terminal 'e' rather than the simpler 'Betty' gave it a slightly more Continental feel, a subtle dash of French elegance that distinguished it from its folksy cousin. The name's cultural identity in the twentieth century was shaped almost entirely by one towering figure: Bette Davis, born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in 1908, who adopted the French pronunciation ('Bet') and became one of Hollywood's most formidable and enduring stars.
Known for roles in 'All About Eve,' 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?' and dozens of other films, Davis brought an intensity and intelligence to acting that redefined what female stars could do on screen. Her enormous eyes became so famous that songwriter Kim Carnes immortalized them in the 1981 hit 'Bette Davis Eyes,' introducing the name to an entirely new generation.
Singer and comedian Bette Midler later claimed the name's comic and brassy register as her own. Bette sits in an interesting cultural position today — it reads as vintage Hollywood glamour, carrying a faint black-and-white shimmer. It never became a mass-market name even at its peak, which gives it a certain insider quality: wearers are often either named after a relative from the Davis era or chosen it deliberately for its old-school cool. As maximalist, character-rich names enjoy a quiet renaissance, Bette's combination of brevity and history gives it fresh appeal.