Declining since 2006, #14,942 for girls today.
Popularity of Betsaida since 1960
Babies named Betsaida per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 24 |
| 1970s | 99 |
| 1980s | 77 |
| 1990s | 117 |
| 2000s | 280 |
| 2010s | 216 |
| 2020s | 53 |
Meaning & origin
Betsaida is a rare biblical place name turned given name, first recorded in the U.S. in 1960. In 2025 it ranked 14,942, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 321,453 newborn girls. Its peak popularity came in 2005, but since 2006 it has been on a steady downward trajectory. The name has seen most use in the 2000s without any recent revival. Despite its obscurity, Betsaida carries a strong biblical heritage as the hometown of three apostles, making it a distinctive choice for families seeking a name with religious roots.
Betsaida is a rare given name ultimately derived from Bethsaida, a town mentioned in the New Testament as the birthplace of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. The name means 'house of fishing' (from Hebrew 'bet' meaning house and 'tsayad' meaning fisherman or hunter) and appears in the Gospels as the site of several miracles of Jesus. As a personal name, Betsaida has been used occasionally since the mid-20th century, likely influenced by Spanish-speaking cultures where biblical place names are sometimes adopted for girls.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Betty, Saida, Betty-Sue
Sibling names for Betsaida
Names that share Betsaida's style, for a brother or sister.
