Elizabeth
/ɪˈlɪz.ə.bəθ/noun
A female given name from the Hebrew Bible, borne by a queen of England and many others.
Did you know?Elizabeth comes from the Hebrew name Elisheva, where the final element is tied to an oath or sworn promise — a name that literally sounds like covenant magic.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Heb
אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elisheva)
“My God is an oath / My God is abundance”
Septuagint Era
Greek
Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet)
“Hebrew biblical name adapted into Greek”
Latin
Latin
Elisabeth
“Biblical and saintly female name”
Old French
OFr
Isabel / Elizabeth
“French forms of the biblical name”
Middle English
Eng
Elisabeth / Elizabeth
“Female given name in English”
Modern English
Eng
Elizabeth
“A common female given name”
Explore more surprising origins