59 Popular Nicknames for Elizabeth

Frank Sinatra sang a song about Elizabeth. Michael Jackson penned “Elizabeth, I love you” for one of the most famous Elizabeths in recent memory, Elizabeth Taylor.

But have you ever wondered where the name Elizabeth came from? Wonder no more.

In this article, we’ll give you a brief history of the popular girl’s name and provide you with a cracking list of all the nicknames for Elizabeth we could find.

How many of these Elizabeth nicknames do you know?

The Origin of the Name Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a Hebrew name meaning “God is my oath,” “God’s promise” or “God is satisfaction.” First appearing in the Old Testament in its Hebrew form, Elishiba is the wife of Aaron. In the New Testament, Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.

Elizabeth is a classic name. It has remained a popular choice for girls throughout time, and its use never seems to wane. With such a deeply rooted history behind it, that’s unsurprising.

Queen Elizabeth I Made the Name Popular

It was Queen Elizabeth I of England who really made the name popular. Ruling from 1558 to 1603, Elizabeth I had two nicknames which have stuck with her over the years. As a well-respected ruler, Old Queen Bess became the people’s pet name for her.

Bess was a popular shortened version of Elizabeth. The other nickname for which she was famous is the Virgin Queen. She never married and claimed that she was “bound unto a husband which is the Kingdom of England.”

Here are a few queenly nicknames for Elizabeth we got from her:

1. Bess
2. Bessie
3. Old Bessie
4. Queen B
5. Queen Bee
6. Queen Bess
7. Her Highness
8. Her Royal Highness

Celebrity Inspired Nicknames for Elizabeth

Other women throughout the ages have inspired nicknames for Elizabeth, too. Here are a few that make great nicknames for the Elizabeth in your life.

9. Hurley – Bit obvious this one, named for Elizabeth (Liz) Hurley, the English actress.
10. Lizzie T – Who else but Elizabeth Taylor. Or was she Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner after her eight marriages!?
11. E – Queen Elizabeth II of Britain.
12. Queen E – As above.
13. Queenie
14. Saint Liz – Named for Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. In the 12th century, she was the female equivalent of Robin Hood, using her (sometimes ill-gained) money and wealth to help the poor.

Variations on the Spelling of Elizabeth

Countries around the world have their own spelling and variation of the name Elizabeth. Here are a few.

15. Isabella – An alternative Hebrew spelling for Elizabeth.
16. Elspeth – The Scottish variation.
17. Bettina – Of German origin with the meaning “God is my oath.”

Shortened Nicknames for Elizabeth

Nicknames will often have their base in a full name. You know the drill; Rob for Robert, Frank for Franklin and so on. Elizabeth is no different, here are all the shortened versions of Elizabeth. All make excellent nicknames.

How many of these are new to you?

18. Bee – For the Elizabeth who likes to buzz around.
19. Beth – One for the sweet girl in your life. Like the gentle character Beth March in “Little Women.”
20. Bethee
21. Bethie
22. Izzy
23. Lizzy
24. Lizzie
25. Eliza – From cockney flower girl to a fair lady, Eliza Doolittle inspired a generation of young girls.
26. Lizabeth – For when the E is just too much to pronounce.
27. Lizbeth – Who needs the E or the A?
28. Lilibeth
29. Liza
30. Liz – Possibly the most common shortening of Elizabeth.
31. Bet – Old fashioned and not so popular anymore.
32. Bets
33. Betty
34. Betsy – Popular in the 1940s and 50s. Gives any Liz a bit of a retro touch.
35. Bette – Can be pronounced Betty or Bet.
36. Libby
37. Belle – One for the beautiful Lizzie in your life.
38. Bizzy
39. Elise
40. Elsie – The Shortened version of Elspeth. Used widely as a nickname in the late 19th century.
41. Ellie – Now a popular first name for babies in the UK.
42. Ella
43. Elsa
44. Ilsa
45. Liesl – German in origin and famously one of the Von Trapp children in “The Sound of Music.”
46. Lisa – Hugely popular first name from the 1970s onwards.
47. Lettie
48. Etta

Other Elizabeth Nicknames

If you’ve spent any time reading our massive database of nicknames, you’ll know that sometimes there is a reason for a nickname, and other times there just isn’t!

Here are a few more random nicknames for Elizabeth. Some of these make perfect sense, and others are a bit out there.

49. Eliza-B – A Cardi B inspired nickname.
50. Lizalooloo
51. Looloo – As above, but the shortened version.
52. Lizaboo
53. Tibby
54. Lisbet
55. Boop – From the sexy cartoon character Betty Boop.
56. Lea – Another word for meadow. Possibly for the outdoors type of Elizabeth.
57. Zizi
58. Queen E – A Beyoncesque title for your favorite Liz.
59. Buffy – Based on the way a child pronounces Elizabeth. Is your Beth a vampire slayer?

And there you have it, a list of good pet names for Elizabeth. Did we miss any?

We try our best to provide as full a list as possible, so if you are an Elizabeth and have been called any other nicknames, please let us know in the comments section below!