Beatrice

Meaning: Its source is Viatrix, a Latin name meaning "Voyager."

In French, this name is spelled with an accent -- Béatrice.

Languages: This girl's name is used in English, Italian and French.

Nicknames: Bea and Bebe

Compound Forms: Leatrice

Alternative Spellings: Beatris

Variant Forms: Beatrica, Beatriz and Beatrix

Source Forms: Viatrix

Popularity: The name Beatrice ranked 170th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.

Narrative: In many people's minds, this name is inextricably linked to that of the Italian epic poet Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), who chose for his Muse an idealized woman he called Beatrice.

Though there was a real Beatrice in his life, Dante had very little contact with her. Beatrice Portinari (1266-90) first met Dante when she was eight and he was nine; they met again no more than a handful of times. Dante elaborated on this scant acquaintance and its profound effect on him in a love poem called La Vita Nuova (''The New Life''), before following Beatrice into Paradise in the poem that would immortalize them both, La Divina Commedia (''The Divine Comedy'').

Leadership

Beatrice
- Ruler of Tuscany in the 11th century (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
Beatrice Webb (born 1858, died 1943)
English socialist.
- Along with her husband, Sidney James Webb, established a Socialist salon and provided intellectual leadership to the Labour party (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)

Miscellaneous

Beatrice Lillie (born 1898, died 1989)
Canadian-born English singer and comedian.
- Born in Toronto, Ontario (see list of Famous Canadians)

Science and Philosophy

Beatrice Mintz (born 1921)
American embryologist.
- Known for her studies of the heredity of certain types of cancers (see list of Biological Scientists)

Stage and Screen

Beatrice Colen
- Portrayed Marsha from 1974-76 (see list of Actors on ''Happy Days'')
Beatrice Lillie (born 1898, died 1989)
Canadian-born English singer and comedian.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
Beatrice Reed
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Elizabeth Hoffman (see list of Characters on ''Sisters'')
Beatrice Straight (born 1918)
American actress.
- 1976 Academy Award winner for her performance in Network (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Supporting Actress)

The Literary World

Beatrice
- The clever, sarcastic comic heroine who matches wits with and finally falls for Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing (see list of Shakespearean Characters)