Bess is an uncommon variant of Bessie that peaked in 1889 and has since faded.
Bess is predominantly a girl name. In 2025 it ranked #15,307 for girl births in the United States (and #25,362 across all names), given to 5 babies. Bess first appears in 1880 and peaked in 1889 (182 births).
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | ♀ Rank | ♂ Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 5 | #15,307 | — |
| 2022 | 6 | 6 | #13,868 | — |
| 2020 | 8 | 8 | #11,260 | — |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 | #15,918 | — |
| 2018 | 7 | 7 | #12,699 | — |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | #14,625 | — |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 | #14,797 | — |
| 2014 | 8 | 8 | #12,126 | — |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 | #13,401 | — |
| 2012 | 6 | 6 | #15,266 | — |
| 2011 | 7 | 7 | #13,587 | — |
| 2010 | 7 | 7 | #13,688 | — |
| 2009 | 8 | 8 | #12,620 | — |
| 2008 | 7 | 7 | #14,071 | — |
| 2007 | 8 | 8 | #12,856 | — |
| 2006 | 6 | 6 | #15,428 | — |
| 2005 | 18 | 18 | #6,573 | — |
| 2004 | 5 | 5 | #16,475 | — |
| 2003 | 12 | 12 | #8,595 | — |
| 2002 | 14 | 14 | #7,492 | — |
| 2001 | 10 | 10 | #9,462 | — |
| 2000 | 9 | 9 | #10,009 | — |
| 1999 | 11 | 11 | #8,305 | — |
| 1998 | 8 | 8 | #10,251 | — |
| 1997 | 14 | — | #6,533 | — |
| 1996 | 14 | — | #6,443 | — |
| 1995 | 11 | — | #7,577 | — |
| 1994 | 11 | — | #7,667 | — |
| 1993 | 14 | — | #6,305 | — |
| 1992 | 16 | — | #5,752 | — |
| 1991 | 12 | — | #7,014 | — |
| 1990 | 16 | — | #5,586 | — |
| 1989 | 20 | — | #4,534 | — |
| 1988 | 28 | — | #3,400 | — |
| 1987 | 29 | — | #3,178 | — |
| 1986 | 29 | — | #3,141 | — |
| 1985 | 27 | — | #3,256 | — |
| 1984 | 38 | — | #2,475 | — |
| 1983 | 27 | — | #3,072 | — |
| 1982 | 29 | — | #3,021 | — |
| 1981 | 38 | — | #2,492 | — |
| 1980 | 28 | — | #3,075 | — |
| 1979 | 25 | — | #3,251 | — |
| 1978 | 33 | — | #2,578 | — |
| 1977 | 26 | — | #3,009 | — |
| 1976 | 22 | — | #3,195 | — |
| 1975 | 11 | — | #5,188 | — |
| 1974 | 14 | — | #4,244 | — |
| 1973 | 20 | — | #3,241 | — |
| 1972 | 15 | — | #3,910 | — |
| 1971 | 18 | — | #3,517 | — |
| 1970 | 19 | — | #3,320 | — |
| 1969 | 20 | — | #3,018 | — |
| 1968 | 8 | — | #5,180 | — |
| 1967 | 15 | — | #3,356 | — |
| 1966 | 19 | — | #2,852 | — |
| 1965 | 19 | — | #2,843 | — |
| 1964 | 19 | — | #2,921 | — |
| 1963 | 26 | — | #2,372 | — |
| 1962 | 34 | — | #1,993 | — |
| 1961 | 33 | — | #2,039 | — |
| 1960 | 26 | — | #2,314 | — |
| 1959 | 26 | — | #2,237 | — |
| 1958 | 34 | — | #1,877 | — |
| 1957 | 28 | — | #2,071 | — |
| 1956 | 28 | — | #2,059 | — |
| 1955 | 23 | — | #2,282 | — |
| 1954 | 34 | — | #1,772 | — |
| 1953 | 23 | — | #2,177 | — |
| 1952 | 30 | — | #1,824 | — |
| 1951 | 16 | — | #2,585 | — |
| 1950 | 15 | — | #2,670 | — |
| 1949 | 20 | — | #2,217 | — |
| 1948 | 35 | — | #1,576 | — |
| 1947 | 21 | — | #2,153 | — |
| 1946 | 24 | — | #1,866 | — |
| 1945 | 21 | — | #1,831 | — |
| 1944 | 25 | — | #1,668 | — |
| 1943 | 32 | — | #1,471 | — |
| 1942 | 32 | — | #1,443 | — |
| 1941 | 31 | — | #1,386 | — |
| 1940 | 29 | — | #1,409 | — |
| 1939 | 27 | — | #1,429 | — |
| 1938 | 23 | — | #1,602 | — |
| 1937 | 18 | — | #1,852 | — |
| 1936 | 20 | — | #1,696 | — |
| 1935 | 17 | — | #1,930 | — |
| 1934 | 26 | — | #1,443 | — |
| 1933 | 28 | — | #1,370 | — |
| 1932 | 29 | — | #1,387 | — |
| 1931 | 27 | — | #1,424 | — |
| 1930 | 36 | — | #1,253 | — |
| 1929 | 33 | — | #1,312 | — |
| 1928 | 33 | — | #1,342 | — |
| 1927 | 58 | — | #1,000 | — |
| 1926 | 55 | — | #1,005 | — |
| 1925 | 64 | — | #932 | — |
| 1924 | 81 | — | #830 | — |
| 1923 | 81 | — | #812 | — |
| 1922 | 74 | — | #853 | — |
| 1921 | 84 | — | #798 | — |
| 1920 | 82 | — | #798 | — |
| 1919 | 99 | — | #704 | — |
| 1918 | 103 | — | #712 | — |
| 1917 | 103 | — | #671 | — |
| 1916 | 131 | — | #586 | — |
| 1915 | 122 | — | #589 | — |
| 1914 | 93 | — | #590 | — |
| 1913 | 119 | — | #457 | — |
| 1912 | 125 | — | #415 | — |
| 1911 | 93 | — | #421 | — |
| 1910 | 88 | — | #421 | — |
| 1909 | 95 | — | #381 | — |
| 1908 | 91 | — | #376 | — |
| 1907 | 103 | — | #343 | — |
| 1906 | 101 | — | #332 | — |
| 1905 | 87 | — | #362 | — |
| 1904 | 96 | — | #336 | — |
| 1903 | 112 | — | #293 | — |
| 1902 | 104 | — | #309 | — |
| 1901 | 107 | — | #289 | — |
| 1900 | 134 | — | #280 | — |
| 1899 | 123 | — | #255 | — |
| 1898 | 151 | — | #239 | — |
| 1897 | 137 | — | #243 | — |
| 1896 | 151 | — | #224 | — |
| 1895 | 150 | — | #224 | — |
| 1894 | 182 | — | #197 | #1,096 |
| 1893 | 169 | — | #197 | — |
| 1892 | 177 | — | #190 | — |
| 1891 | 137 | — | #199 | — |
| 1890 | 154 | — | #190 | — |
| 1889 | 182 | — | #164 | — |
| 1888 | 164 | — | #176 | — |
| 1887 | 155 | — | #157 | — |
| 1886 | 128 | — | #180 | — |
| 1885 | 97 | — | #192 | — |
| 1884 | 105 | — | #170 | — |
| 1883 | 94 | — | #170 | — |
| 1882 | 76 | — | #180 | — |
| 1881 | 52 | — | #208 | — |
| 1880 | 46 | — | #227 | — |