Published on 8/11/2020 15:47 By Sarah Kante;Sarah Hallam
Edited by Sarah Hallam | Fact-checked by
Choosing your baby name is one of the most important decisions you will have to make as a parent.
But the all-important naming process does not end with a birth certificate. It’s now time to pick a cute nickname for the new member of your family.
Luckily, if you’ve named your baby girl Elizabeth, you will be spoiled for choice, as there are a lot of nicknames to choose from. Or, if you’re still deciding on baby girl names, why not take inspiration from this list of variations and nicknames for Elizabeth?
Although the name Elizabeth is traditional and has been around for centuries, there are many variations that go far beyond Beth, Eliza and Betty. Derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba and made popular by Queen Elizabeth I, the meaning of the name Elizabeth is “God is my oath” or “my God is abundance.”
Some extremely famous women have been named Elizabeth: Queens Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Hurley, Elizabeth Arden and Elizabeth Olsen, but also Lana Del Rey (whose real, full name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant).
When it comes to nicknames, Elizabeth has plenty. Some are so common they will come to mind straight away (think Beth, Betty, Betsy, Lisa or Lizzy), while others might be a tad more unusual and surprising.
Popular Nicknames For Elizabeth
Some of the most common nicknames for Elizabeth. You will probably know most of these Elizabeth nicknames, but that doesn’t make them any less special.
1) Bess – Elizabeth I was known as “Good Queen Bess,” so you really can’t go wrong with this nickname.
2) Betsy – Slightly retro and a fun variation on Beth or Betty, Betsy was popular in the ’40s and ‘50s.
3) Betty – Or Bette, started gaining popularity during World War II, with American actress Betty Grable leading the way.
4) Elisa – Also spelled Eliza/ Elissa, means “God is my oath.” Legend has it the first Queen of Carthage was named Elissa.
5) Elise – Originally a French pet name for Elizabeth, it is now used as a name in and of itself.
6) Izzie – Also spelled Izzy, this is popular in the USA, a perfect non-gendered name.
7) Lib – Variations include Libby/ Libbie.
8) Liddy – Works for both Elizabeth or Lydia.
9) Lilli -Also spelled Lillie/ Lilly/ Lily. With origins in the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain, Lilli has been around for a while.
10) Lisa –Popular since the ’70s as a nickname or as a given name. Some more variations include: Lissa/ Lissy/ Lizza/Liza.
11) Lisbet – Lisbeth is popular in Germany and Scandinavia as a given name.
12) Liz – One of the most common nicknames for Elizabeth, Liz is always a winner.
13) Lizzie – Also spelt Lizzy, this name was popular in the USA in the nineteenth century.
Unique Nicknames For Elizabeth
If those were a bit too obvious, here are some more inventive nicknames for Elizabeth that might surprise you. Some of these Elizabeth nicknames are also used as first or middle names, making them all the more versatile.
14) Bettina –The Italian diminutive of Elisabetta, or Elizabeth.
15) Birdie – Both actress Busy Philipps and her daughter Birdie have shortened versions of the name Elizabeth as first names.
16) Buffy – One of the cutest nicknames for Elizabeth, this name reminds us of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
17) Effy – A character on the TV show Skins had this name, and yes, it was short for Elizabeth.
18) Ela – And all its variations: Eli/ Elia/ Ella/ Elle/ Ely – is a common short version of names starting with El-.
19) Elsie – The short version of Elspeth, a variation of Elizabeth. Elsie was a nickname popular in the nineteenth century.
20) Elza – Meaning joy in Hebrew, it can be used as a pet name for Elizabeth.
21) Ibby – The shortened Isabel, which is a variation of Elizabeth.
22) Ilsa – Germanic in origin.
23) Liesl – An unusual name meaning Elizabeth, this name is after the oldest of the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music. This name is of Germanic origin.
24) Lilibet – Queen Elizabeth II’s nickname, Lilibet has a very sweet story behind it: she could not pronounce her own name in full when she was little.
25) Lizbet/Lizbeth – A mash-up between Lilibet and Liz, Lizbet is a sweet nickname for the Elizabeth in your life.
26) Tess – Traditionally short for Theresa, Tess is a lovely nickname for Elizabeth.
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