Meaning: Its source is Elisheva, a Hebrew name meaning "God's promise."

This name is sometimes written BethAnn or Beth Ann.

Popularity: The name Bethann ranked 2842nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: Other suggested meanings still relate to the fulfillment of a promise. They include ''God's satisfaction'' and ''God's perfection.''

Until the 16th-century reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I, this name was most commonly spelled with an ''s'' in the middle. Such was the popularity of Good Queen Bess that her spelling has reigned supreme ever since.

Speaking of Bess, this name is the Mother of All Nicknames, Spellings and Alternate Forms. We've counted close to 70 so far, and we are still looking!