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A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth. quotations examples
People in the last century weren't afraid of homely names; now we are all so smart and fine: no more "Lady Bettys" now.
1864 August – 1866 January, [Elizabeth] Gaskell, chapter 10, in Wives and Daughters. An Every-day Story. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1866
But Mrs. Betty Carver respects tradition, and this, I'm afraid, is ours. - - - She smells like expensive soap and her teeth are shiny-white. She does not in any way look like her name. It's not her fault that she was born in a time when people believed in names like Wanda, Dottie and Betty. She's more of a Vanessa or Paulina.
1991, Peter Hedges, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Simon & Schuster, published 1999, page 60
plural Betties
(slang, derogatory) A girl who hangs out with skateboarders or surfers.