What is Bebe short for?
Bebe belongs with Cece and Gigi and Coco. But despite a similar style, this one seems rarer than similar choices.
Could it be that the names that lead to Bebe aren’t as appealing? Or maybe there just aren’t as many possibilities compared to Colette and Cordelia, Georgia and Genevieve, Cecilia and Celeste.
Bebe might seems more like a term of endearment. In French, bébé translates to baby. So it’s a little like calling your daughter Babe. In other languages, it’s a slang term for baby. In some languages, a longer word beginning with Bebe serves the same role: the Romanian bebeluș, for one.
Bebe stores peaked in the early 2000s, a fast fashion staple once found in every shopping mall in America, now still hanging on as an e-commerce brand.
Unlike Coco or even Gigi, it’s harder to imagine Bebe as a standalone name. Singer Bebe Rexha might change that, though.
But getting to Bebe is easier than it seems at first glance.
Table of Contents
TRADITIONAL CHOICES
BARBARA
A Top Ten staple from the 1920s through the 1950s, today, Barbara fits in the young grandmother category. And yet, it’s an ancient name, worn by the patron saint of architects and masons. Barbie is a doll, but Bebe is a stylish update for this classic possibility.
BATHSHEBA
In the Old Testament, David fell for Bathsheba when she was still married. Much drama ensued. Perhaps that’s why parents have avoided the name, though it’s really quite pretty.
BEATA
A name used in Slavic, Scandi, and German languages, Beata means blessed.
BEATRICE, BEATRIX
Could there be a more current name? Stylish parents have embraced this choice – smart, spunky, and until recently, little used. Beatrice was given name of actress Bebe Neuwirth, of Cheers and Frasier fame.
BERNADETTE
A B name making a comeback, Bernadette has the B sound required to make this nickname wear well.
BIANCA
From Shakespeare to the adventurous mouse in Disney’s The Adventurers, Bianca is a daring name, one that leads logically to Bebe. It’s also the given name of Bianca Andreescu, the young tennis star.
REBECCA
Does this seem like a stretch? If Becca, Becky, and Bex are go-to short forms, the letter B is big for this starts-with-R appellation, and Bebe might work just fine.
ROBERTA
Yes, you could call her Bobbie. But somehow Bebe feels like a fresh, unexpected option, too.
UNCONVENTIONAL OPTIONS
BEBELLE
Designer and television host Genevieve Gorder gave this unusual name to her daughter. It may have come from a short story by Charles Dickens; in “Somebody’s Luggage,” we learn it is short for Gabrielle.
BELLAMY
A fast-rising favorite for girls, this surname name could shorten to Bella or Belle, or even Amy. But the strong B sound means Bebe might be another one to consider.
BELPHOEBE
Strictly speaking, this combination of belle – beautiful – and Phoebe was invented by Edmund Spenser for The Faerie Queen, dating the name to the late 1500s. But it’s never been used as a given name, so I’m filing it with the modern discoveries.
BLUEBELL, BLUEBELLE
Belle names are big, and Beyonce’s Blue put the color name in the spotlight. Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has a Bluebell, but the name has yet to catch on. The repeating Bs make it a natural fit for this list.
B.B.
Any combination of names with the initials B.B. could work, too – or even something that just comes close. Beatrice Annabelle, maybe? Legendary guitarist B.B. King – one of the few men to answer to the nickname – was born Riley B. King.
FOREIGN IMPORTS
BAHIJA
An Arabic name meaning happy with a strong B sound.
BAIA
A logical B name to lead to Bebe, Baia occurs in several languages. It’s a flower name in Georgian, a river in Basque, and the word for a palm branch in Greek. While the last one is often spelled Vaia, it’s a powerful image, strongly associated with Palm Sunday
BIRGITTA, BIRGIT, BIRGID, BIRGITTE
Of course, you might shorten Bridget to Bebe. But these imports work every bit as well – maybe even better. Celebrated Swedish actress Bibi Andersson was born Berit – yet another related form of the name.
BIBIANA
A form of Vivian, Bibiana sounds quite lovely. But it might be a recipe for years of “No, not Viviana. Bibiana, with a B. Let me spell it for you.”
BLETA
An Albanian name referring to bees, Bleta makes this list for one reason: it’s the first name of singer Bebe Rexha. While Rexha was born in New York, her parents’ roots are Albanian and North Macedonian. Serbian-born actress Beba Lončar is another notable figure from the former Yugoslavia, but her birth name was Desanka.
What do you think of Bebe? Do you like names with repeating sounds like Lulu and Gigi? Which long form would you use for a daughter?
I’ve been majorly name crushing on Bathsheba- in Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd there is a character named Bathsheba Everdene and it’s just swoon worthy
If we ever have a girl she’ll be Beatrix with a Be last name. I know we’ll call her Bebe pretty often, even though I don’t love it that much. I always think of the rich girl from Doug. I think it’s cute as a casual nickname but not something to go by all the time.
As a kid I was called BB, or Bebe, for my repeating initials. Lately though, my best friend and the one who called me BB, has taken to calling me Bee as a shortened form.
If I ever use a B name for a girl she’ll be nicknamed Bonnie before anything else 🙂
I adore repeating sounds and have a Fifi of my own. She goes by Josie more often but Fifi comes out often.
Bebe was one of my Great Cousins. Her surname was Beebee, and well, Bebe stuck apparently when she was very small, I knew her in her 80’s & 90’s, so it had been worn by her for some time by then.
I do adore Beatrix and Bluebell. Beatrix for me would be my beloved Trixie before Bebe, but it might be occasional. 😀 Maybe Bebe could be for B.B. initials too? Belinda Blubell, aka Bebe would be adorable!
@Lola – I do like nicknames from initials! Not sure what I’d use for BB, though …