Elizabeth (given name)
Elizabeth | |
---|---|
Pronunciation | /ɪˈlɪzəbəθ/ |
Gender | Female |
Origin | |
Word/name | Hebrew via Greek |
Meaning | "My God is an oath" |
Region of origin | originally Europe now worldwide. |
Other names | |
Related names | Elisabeth, Isabel, Izabel, Isabella, Effy, Isabelle, Lyzbeth, Lisbeth, Eliza, Lisa, Liza, Liz, Lizzie, Lizzy |
Elizabeth is a feminine given name derived from the Ancient Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet, Modern Greek pronunciation Elisávet), which is a form of the Hebrew name Elisheva (אֱלִישֶׁבַע), meaning "My God is an oath" or "My God is abundance", as rendered in the Septuagint.
Occurrence in the Bible
"Elizabeth" appears in the Old Testament as the name of Aaron's wife ("Elisheva" in the Hebrew Bible), and in the New Testament as the name of the wife of the priest Zechariah and mother of John the Baptist. It has also been the name of several saints and queens.
Statistics
The name has many variants in use across the world and has been in consistent use worldwide. Elizabeth was the tenth most popular name given to baby girls in the United States in 2007 and has been among the 25 most popular names given to girls in the United States for the past 100 years. It is the only name that has remained in the top ten US girls' names list from 1925 to 1972.[1]
It has been among the top 50 names given to girls born in England and Wales as well as in Canada and in Australia in the past 10 years and has been in the top 100 most popular names given to baby girls born in Scotland and Ireland in the past 10 years. Elizaveta (Eлизaвeтa), a Russian form of the name, has been in the top 10 names given to baby girls born in Moscow, Russia in the past 10 years. The name is also popular in Ukraine and in Belarus.
Contrary to the popular belief, the names Isabel or Isabella are not variants of Elizabeth but originate from another Biblical name, that is, Jezebel.
Name variants
Full name
- ელისაბედ (Elisabed) (Georgian)
- إليصابات (Ilīṣābāt), إليشبع (Ilīšabaʿ) (Arabic)
- ⲉⲗⲉⲥⲁⲃⲏⲕ (Ilisabek) (Coptic)
- Alžběta/ Eliška (Czech)
- Alžbeta (Slovak)
- Ealasaid (Scottish Gaelic)
- Ealisaid (Manx)
- Elesabeth (English)
- Elesbed (Breton)
- Elizabete/Isabel (Portuguese)
- Eliisabet (Estonian)
- Eliise (Estonian)
- Elikapeka (Hawaiian)
- Elisa (Turkish)
- Elisabet (Catalan), (Danish), (German), (Spanish), (Swedish)
- Elisabeta (Romanian)
- Elisabete (Portuguese)
- Élisabeth (French)
- Elisabeth (Catalan), (Danish), (Dutch), (German), (Norwegian), (Swedish)
- Elizabeto (Esperanto)
- Elisabetta (Italian)
- Ελισάβετ (Elisávet), Ζαμπέτα (Zabéta) (Greek)
- Eлисавета (Elisaveta) (Bulgarian)
- Альжбета (Alžbieta) (Belarusian)
- אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheba, Elisheva) (Hebrew)
- Elixabete (Basque)
- Elizabeta (Albanian), (Croatian), (Bosnian), (Slovene)
- Elizabete (Basque), (Latvian)
- 엘리자베스 (Ellijabeseu) (Korean)
- Elishua (Malayalam)
- Elsbeth (Dutch), (German), (Scots), (Swiss German)
- Elspeth (Scots)
- Elisabet (Finnish)
- Êlizabét (Vietnamese)
- Elyzabeth (English)
- Elžbieta (Lithuanian)
- Elżbieta (Polish)
- Elzbute (Lithuanian)
- エリザベス (Erizabesu) (Japanese)
- Erzsébet (Hungarian)
- Irihapeti (Māori)
- Isabella (Italian), (Dutch)
- Isabelle (French), (Dutch)
- Isabel (Spanish), (Dutch)
- Јелисавета (Jelisaveta), Елизабета (Elizabeta) (Serbian)
- Եղիսաբեթ (Yeghisapet), Ելսաբեթ (Elsapet) (Armenian)
- Елизaвета (Yelizaveta), Элизабет (Elizabet) (Russian)
- Єлизавета (Yelyzaveta) (Ukrainian)
- 伊丽莎白 (Yī lì shā bái) (Chinese Simplified)
- 伊麗莎白 (Yīlìshābái) (Chinese Traditional)
- এলিজাবেথ (Ēlijābētha) (Bengali)
- એલિઝાબેથ (Ēlijhābētha) (Gujarati)
- एलिज़ाबेथ (Ēlizābētha) (Hindi)
- ಎಲಿಜಬೆತ್ (Elijabet) (Kannada)
- 엘리자베스 (Ellijabeseu) (Korean)
- Елизабета (Elizabeta) (Macedonian)
- एलिझाबेथ (Ēlijhābētha) (Marathi)
- Элизабет (Elizabyet) (Mongolian)
- एलिजाबेथ (Ēlijābētha) (Nepali)
- الیزابت (Persian)
- ਇਲੀਸਬਤ (Ilīsabata) (Punjabi)
- எலிசபெத் (Elicapet) (Tamil)
- ఎలిజబెత్ (Elijabet) (Telugu)
- เอลิซาเบธ (Elisābeṭh) (Thai)
- Елізабет (Elizabet) (Ukrainian)
- الزبتھ (Urdu)
- עליזאַבעטה (Eʻlyzabeta) (Yiddish)
Dimunitives
- Chabela (Spanish)
- ლიზა (Liza), ლიზი (Lizi), ლიზიკო (Liziko) (Georgian)
- Erzsi (Hungarian)
- Isabeau (French)
- Isabel (Catalan), (English), (Norwegian), (Portuguese), (Spanish)
- Isabela (Spanish), (Portuguese)
- Isabelita (Spanish)
- Isabell (English), (German), (Norwegian)
- Isabella (Dutch), (English), (Italian), (Norwegian), (Polish), (Spanish), (Swedish)
- Isabelle (English), (French), (German)
- Isave (Vietnamese)
- Isbal (Manx)
- Isbel (English)
- Iseabail (Scottish)
- Isebella (English)
- Ishbel (Scots)
- Isibéal (Irish)
- Isobel (Scots)
- Izabel (Portuguese (archaic)), (Spanish), (Polish)
- Izabela (Czech), (Polish)
- Izabella (Hungarian), (Polish)
- Izabelle (English)
- Lisabeth (English)
- Lizabeth (English)
- Liesbeth (Dutch)
- Lijsbeth (Dutch)
- Ισαβέλλα (Isavella) (Greek)
- Ιζαμπέλλα (Izabella) (Greek)
- Lisaveta (Ukrainian)
- Lisbet (Danish), (Norwegian), (Swedish)
- Lisbeth (German), (Norwegian)
- Лизa (Liza) (Russian)
- Lyzbeth (English)
- Sabela (Galician)
- Sabella (English)
- Sibéal (Irish)
- Špela (Slovene)
- Ysabel (Spanish)
- Ysbal (Manx)
- Yzabel (Spanish)
- Yzabela (Spanish)
- Ybel (Spanish)
- Zabel (Armenian)
First half
- Ailsa (Danish)
- Alzira (Portuguese)
- Ealee (Manx)
- Ealish (Manx)
- Effy (English)
- Eilís (Irish / Gaeilge)
- Éilis (Irish / Gaeilge)
- Ela (Polish)
- Elbie (Afrikaans)
- Ella (Norwegian)
- Elly (English), (Dutch)
- Eli (Catalan), (English), (Spanish)
- Eli, Eliamma (Aley, Aleyamma, Aleykutty) (Malayalam), (Norwegian)
- Eliisa (Finnish)
- Elis (German)
- Elisa (Finnish), (Italian), (Norwegian), (Spanish)
- Élise (French), (Portuguese)
- Elise (Norwegian)
- Elisete (Portuguese)
- Eliška (Czech) and (Slovak)
- Eliso (Georgian)
- Elissa (English), (Norwegian)
- Eliza (Albanian), (English), (Polish)
- Elka (Albanian), (Polish),
- Ellee (English)
- Elli (Finnish), (German)
- Ellie (Origin unknown)
- Ellen (Norwegian), (English)
- Els (Dutch)
- Elsa (Catalan), (Dutch), (Finnish), (German), (Italian), (Norwegian), (Portuguese), (Spanish), (Swedish)
- Elschen (German)
- Else (Danish), (German), (Norwegian)
- Elsie (English)
- Elts (Estonian)
- Elunia (Polish)
- Elyse (English)
- Elza (Hebrew)
- Elzira (Portuguese)
- Elżunia (Polish)
- Erzsi (Hungarian)
- Ilsa (German)
- Ilse (Dutch), (German)
- Isa (Spanish), (Portuguese)
- Issa (Spanish)
- Iza (Spanish)
- Izzy (English), (Norwegian)
- Leesa (English)
- Lela (Serbian)
- Lies (Dutch), (German)
- Liesa (German)
- Lieschen (German)
- Liese (German)
- Liesel (German)
- Lieselotte (German), (Swedish)
- Liesje (Dutch)
- Liesl (German)
- Liis (Estonian)
- Liisa (Estonian), (Finnish)
- Liisbet (Estonian)
- Liisi (Estonian), (Finnish)
- Liisu (Estonian)
- Lila (mostly for kids) (Catalan), (Polish)
- Lili (French), (Polish)
- Liliana (Indonesian)
- Liliani (Indonesian)
- Lilianna (Polish)
- Lilike (Hungarian)
- Lilli (German)
- Lis (Danish), (English), (Norwegian), (Swedish)
- Lisa (Catalan), (Danish), (English), (German), (Italian), (Norwegian), (Swedish), (Portuguese), (Spanish), (Polish), (Welsh)
- Lisanne (Dutch), (English), (Norwegian)
- Lise (French), (Norwegian)
- Liselot (Dutch)
- Liselotte (Danish), (German), (Norwegian)
- Lisen (Swedish)
- Liset (French)
- Liseta (Spanish)
- Lisette (French)
- Liz (English)
- Liza (English), (Polish), (Russian), (Ukrainian)
- Lizette (French)
- Lizi (Georgian)
- Lizina (Latvian)
- Lizzie (English), (Norwegian)
- Lizzy (English)
- Lys (German)
- Lysa (French)
- Lysette (English)
- Yza (Spanish)
- Zsóka (Hungarian)
Middle
Second half
- Beileag (Scottish)
- Bel (Catalan)
- Belita (Spanish)
- Bella (Italian)
- Bess (English)
- Bessie (English)
- Běta (Czech)
- Beth (English)
- Bethan (Welsh)
- Betsan (Welsh)
- Betsy (English)
- Betsey (English)
- Bětka (Czech)
- Betka (Slovak)
- Betta (Italian)
- Bette (English)
- Betti (German)
- Bettie (English)
- Bettina (German), (Italian)
- Betty (English)
- Bettye (English)
- Bětuška (Czech)
- Buffy (English)
- Etti (Estonian)
- Etty (Estonian)
People with this given name
Empresses
- Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1691–1750), consort of Emperor Charles VI
- Elizabeth of Russia (1709–1762)
- Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden) (1779–1826), wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia
- Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837–1898), wife of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I, also known as Empress Elisabeth or "Sisi"
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900–2002), wife of the King-Emperor George VI of the United Kingdom
- Empress Wanrong (1906–1946), last Empress of China, also known as Elizabeth, the English name her tutor gave her
Queens regnant
- Elizabeth I of England (1533–1603), queen of England and Ireland
- Elizabeth II (born 1926), queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
Queen consorts
- Elisabeth of Swabia (1203–1235), also known as Beatrice of Swabia, queen consort of Castile and León
- Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Germany (c. 1227–1273), queen consort of Germany, Jerusalem and Sicily
- Elizabeth the Cuman (1239/1240–1290), queen consort and regent of Hungary
- Elizabeth of Hungary, Queen of Serbia (1255–1313), queen consort of Serbia
- Elizabeth of Sicily, Queen of Hungary (1261–1303), queen consort of Hungary
- Elizabeth of Carinthia, Queen of Germany (c. 1262–1312), queen consort of Germany
- Elizabeth of Aragon (1271–1336), queen consort, queen dowager and queen mother of Portugal, also known as Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
- Elisabeth Richeza of Poland (1286–1335), queen consort of Bohemia and Poland
- Elizabeth de Burgh (1289–1327), queen consort of Scotland
- Elisabeth of Bohemia (1292–1330), queen consort of Bohemia
- Elizabeth of Carinthia, Queen of Sicily (1298–1352), queen consort and regent of Sicily
- Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg (c. 1300-before 1340), junior queen consort of Denmark, wife of Eric Christoffersen
- Elizabeth of Poland, Queen of Hungary (1305–1380), queen consort of Hungary, regent of Poland
- Elizabeth of Bosnia (c. 1339–1387), queen of Hungary and Poland
- Elizabeth of Pomerania (1347–1393), queen consort and queen dowager of the Romans, Bohemia, Italy and Burgundy
- Elisabeth of Nuremberg (1358–1411), queen consort of the Romans
- Isabeau of Bavaria (c. 1370–1435), also known as Elisabeth of Bavaria-Ingolstadt, queen consort of France
- Elizabeth Granowska (c. 1372–1420), queen consort of Poland
- Elizabeth of Luxembourg (1409–1442), queen consort of the Romans, Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia
- Elisabeth of Habsburg (1436–1505), queen consort, queen dowager and queen mother of Poland
- Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437–1492), queen consort of Edward IV
- Elizabeth of York (1466–1503), queen consort of King Henry VII of England
- Elizabeth of Austria (1526–1545), queen consort of Poland
- Elisabeth of Valois (1545-1568), queen consort of Spain
- Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France (1554–1592), queen consort of France
- Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia (1596–1662), daughter of James VI and I of Scotland and England, the "Winter Queen" of Bohemia
- Elisabeth of France (1602–1644), queen consort of Spain and Portugal
- Elisabeth Farnese (1692–1766), queen consort, queen dowager and queen mother of Spain
- Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine (1711–1741), queen consort of Sardinia, Cyprus, Jerusalem and Armenia
- Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern (1715–1797), queen consort and queen dowager of Prussia
- Kaʻahumanu (c. 1768–1832), also known as Elizabeth Kaʻahumanu, queen consort and queen regent of Hawaiʻi
- Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria (1801–1873), queen consort of Prussia
- Kīnaʻu (c. 1805–1839), also known as Elizabeth Kīnaʻu, queen consort, queen regent and dowager queen of Hawaiʻi
- Elisabeth of Bavaria (1837–1898), queen consort of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia
- Elisabeth of Wied (1843–1916), queen consort and queen dowager of Romania
- Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium (1876–1965), wife of King Albert I of Belgium
- Elisabeth of Romania (1894–1956), queen consort of King George II of Greece
- Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (1900–2002), queen consort, queen dowager and queen mother of the United Kingdom
Princesses
- Elisabeth of the Palatinate (1618–1680), Bohemian princess and philosopher
- Princess Élisabeth of France (Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélène; 1764–1794), sister of Louis XVI of France, also known as Madame Élisabeth
- Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom (1770–1840), daughter of George III
- Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine (1864–1918) (1864–1918), Russian grand duchess and Orthodox martyr, wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia and granddaughter of Queen Victoria
- Elizabeth Bagration (1880–1915), Georgian royal princess
- Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark (1904–1955), later Countess of Toerring-Jettenbach, the middle daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia
- Princess Elisabeth of Denmark (born 1935)
- Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia (born 1936)
- Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (born 2001), oldest child and heiress apparent of Philippe, King of the Belgians
Other aristocrats
- Elizabeth of Lancaster, Duchess of Exeter (1363–1426), younger daughter and second surviving child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Blanche of Lancaster
- Elisabeth von Matsch, (1380s—around 1439), last countess of Toggenburg
- Elizabeth Báthory (1560–1614), niece of the Polish King Stephen Báthory; Hungarian countess and murderer
Saints
- Elisabeth of Schönau (1129–1164), a German Benedictine visionary
- Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231), the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary
- Elizabeth of Aragon or Elizabeth of Portugal (1271–1336), Queen consort of Portugal
- Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821), the first canonized "American" saint
- Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine (1864–1918), Eastern Orthodox saint and wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia
- Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906), French Carmelite nun
Others
- Elizabeth Andrews, first woman organiser of the Labour Party in Wales
- Elizabeth Arden, American businesswoman
- Elizabeth Banks, American actress
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Victorian era poet
- Elizabeth Bathory, a countess from the Báthory family of nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary
- Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States
- Elizabeth Cady Stanton, American suffragist, social activist, abolitionist, and leading figure of the early women's rights movement
- Elizabeth Carter, English poet, classicist, writer, translator, linguist, polymath
- Elisabeth Cavazza, American author, journalist, music critic
- Elizabeth Williams Champney, American writer
- Elizabeth Marney Conner, American dramatic reader, educator, author
- Elizabeth Craig-McFeely, British Director of the Women's Royal Naval Service
- Elizabeth Otis Dannelly, American poet
- Elizabeth David, British cookery writer
- Elizabeth Edwards, American attorney, a best-selling author and a health care activist
- Elizabeth Filippouli, Greek journalist-turned-entrepreneur, founder of the international non-profit think tank Global Thinkers Forum
- Elizabeth Fraser, Scottish singer
- Elizabeth Fry, English prison reformer
- Elizabeth Gaskell, British novelist and short story writer
- Elizabeth Gillies, American Broadway actress
- Elizabeth Ayton Godwin, English hymnwriter, religious poet
- Elizabeth Greenwood (1873 – 1961), New Zealand photographer
- Elizabeth Haigh, Singaporean chef
- Elizabeth Boynton Harbert, American author, lecturer, reformer philanthropist
- Elizabeth Holmes, American fraudster who founded Theranos
- Elizabeth Hughes Gossett, daughter of American politician Charles Evans Hughes
- Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (1757-1854), American philanthropist and wife of United States Founding Father Alexander Hamilton
- Elizabeth Jaranyi, Holocaust survivor and writer
- Elisabetta Keller, Swiss-Italian artist
- Elizabeth Kenny, Australian nurse
- Elizabeth Lambert, American writer of romance
- Elizabeth A. Lynn, American writer most known for fantasy and to a lesser extent science fiction
- Elisabeth Marschall (1886–1947), head nurse (Oberschwester) at the Ravensbrück concentration camp executed for war crimes
- Elizabeth Louisa Foster Mather, American writer
- Elizabeth McGovern, American actress
- Elizabeth Montgomery, American actress
- Elizabeth Moore (historian) (1894–1976), American local historian and preservationist
- Elizabeth Olsen, American actress
- Elizabeth Perkins, American actress
- Elizabeth Ramsey, Filipino comedian, singer and actress
- Elizabeth Rose, Benedictine nun at Chelles, France
- Elizabeth Scott, English-American poet, hymnwriter
- Elizabeth Eggleston Seelye, American writer
- Elizabeth A. Smart, American female activist and contributor for ABC News (American Broadcasting Corporation)
- Elizabeth Stride, the third murder victim of Jack the Ripper
- Elizabeth Taylor, (1932–2011), British-American actress
- Elizabeth Terry, American chef
- Elizabeth Underwood, pioneering Australian land owner
- Elizabeth Warren, American politician and United States Senator from Massachusetts
- Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, real name of singer Lana Del Rey
- Elizabeth Young (author), London-based literary critic and author
- Elizabeth Zimmermann, British-born knitter
Fictional characters with this given name
- Elizabeth, main character and A.I. companion in the video game BioShock Infinite
- Elizabeth Shaw, main character in Ridley Scott's movie Prometheus
- Elizabeth Webber, fictional character on the daytime soap opera General Hospital
- Elizabeth Bennet, main character in the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice
- Elizabeth, a truck from the TV series Thomas and Friends
- Elizabeth, a muppet from the TV series Sesame Street
- Elizabeth Poldark, a character from the novel and two BBC television series Poldark
- Elizabeth “Beth” March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Elizabeth Jones, protagonist of the Lifetime movie Reviving Ophelia
- Elizabeth Swann, a main character in the film series Pirates of the Caribbean
- Elizabeth Johnson, main character in the FX series American Horror Story: Hotel, portrayed by Lady Gaga
- Elizabeth Keen, main character from the American TV series The Blacklist
- Elizabeth Midford, a character in the anime and manga Black Butler
Nicknames
Derived from Elizabeth are many short forms and nicknames used in English-speaking countries, including but not limited to:
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Name variants listed above may also be used as nicknames.
See also
- Ælfthryth (Alfrith, etc.), an unrelated Anglo-Saxon name, originally Ælfþryð ('elf-strength'), superficially similar to Elspeth and several other variants of Elizabeth; more often rendered as Elfriede, Elfrida or Alfreda.
Notes
- ↑ Frank Nuessel (1992). The Study of Names: A Guide to the Principles and Topics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 10. Retrieved 11 September 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)