Betje is a Dutch feminine given name, derived as a diminutive of Elisabeth, the Dutch and German form of Elizabeth. The root name Elizabeth ultimately comes from the Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElisheva), meaning "my God is an oath" — combining ʾel (God) and shavaʿ (oath). In the Old Testament, Elisheba is the wife of Aaron; the Greek form Elisabet appears in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist. Historical and Cultural ContextIn Dutch naming traditions, diminutives like Betje (formed with the suffix -tje) were commonly used as familiar or affectionate forms, often functioning as independent given names. While Elisabeth has widespread European use — popularized by saints such as Elizabeth of Hungary and later by Queen Elizabeth I — Betje remains strongly associated with the Netherlands. Notable BearersAmong the most famous bearers is Betje Wolff (1738–1804), a Dutch novelist and pioneering feminist writer, best known for her epistolary novel Historie van mejuffrouw Sara Burgerhart. Another notable figure is Betje Koeten-Ooms (1888–1968), a Dutch politician. Other bearers include actress Betje Koolhaas (born 1972) and Betje Wery (1920–2006), a Dutch Nazi collaborator. The name also appears in fiction: in the novel Ciske de Rat, the 2023 miniseries A Small Light, and historically as "Betje Boerhave," a fictional grocer's wife. The Museum Betje Wolff in Beemster, Netherlands, is named after the author. The term "tante Betje" is used colloquially in the Netherlands to describe a certain nosy or interfering aunt figure, attributed to writer Gerard Nolst Trenité. Related VariantsBetje belongs to a family of Dutch diminutives of Elisabeth, including Elsje, Else, Els, Elly, Elise, and Ilse. Some of these, like Elsje and Betje, maintain the same -je diminutive ending. Meaning: diminutive of Elisabeth, which means "my God is an oath" Origin: Dutch, derived from Hebrew via Greek and Latin Type: Feminine given name Usage Regions: Netherlands, Flanders