Names / Girl names
Bess
Current rank
#15,307
holding steady
All-time peak
#157
in 1887
First recorded
1880
in U.S. data
Children named
7,100
since 1880
Popularity over time
Annual U.S. children given the name · Peak #157 in 1887 · Source: Social Security Administration
Meaning & background
Bess first shows up in American naming records in 1880, where it reads as a girls' name. It currently sits off the most-common lists, a quieter choice. 1887 marked its high point, reaching #157. More than 7,100 children have been given the name overall.