Babette
Babette is a girl's name of French origin.
Meaning
My God is an oath, or foreign/strange (depending on root name).
Origin and history
Babette is a French diminutive of Barbara or Elizabeth, long associated with French literature and film. It gained modest usage in the United States during the mid-20th century but remains a rare choice today.
Popularity in the United States
3,282 babies in the United States have been named Babette since 1880. It ranks #3106 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #2086.
States where it is most popular
- NY (34.8 %)
- CA (19.6 %)
- IL (11.5 %)
- OH (9 %)
- PA (5.7 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 5 |
| 1900-1910 | 11 |
| 1910-1920 | 146 |
| 1920-1930 | 284 |
| 1930-1940 | 204 |
| 1940-1950 | 304 |
| 1950-1960 | 728 |
| 1960-1970 | 1,172 |
| 1970-1980 | 280 |
| 1980-1990 | 96 |
| 1990-2000 | 25 |
| 2000-2010 | 5 |
| 2010-2019 | 7 |
| 2020-2029 | 15 |
Famous people named Babette
- Babette Cole: author, illustrator
- Babette Deutsch: poet, author
Nicknames
Babs, Babsy, Bett
Fun facts
- The name is widely recognized from Isak Dinesen's famous story Babette's Feast and its Oscar-winning film adaptation.
- It originated as a pet form of Elizabeth or Barbara in French-speaking regions before becoming an independent name.