Bessy is an old-fashioned yet charming feminine given name of American origin. It serves as a diminutive form of Elizabeth, meaning "God is my oath" or "consecrated to God." Historically popular in the United States during the mid-19th century, Bessy was often bestowed upon girls born into farming families due to its association with the popular children's nursery rhyme "Bessy from the Cow." Today, however, Bessy is seldom used as a first name and has largely been replaced by its full form, Elizabeth, or other diminutives such as Beth or Liz.
The name Bessy seems to have experienced periods of popularity and decline over the years. The highest number of births recorded was in 1994 with 11 babies named Bessy, while some years only saw a single-digit number of births. Interestingly, there were no recorded births with this name between 1925 and 1973, spanning nearly five decades. However, since then, it has seen fluctuating popularity, reaching its most recent peak in 2020 with 10 births. Overall, from 1914 to 2022, there were a total of 323 babies named Bessy.