Where did the baby name Bathsheba come from in 1951?

The character Bathsheba (played by actress Susan Hayward) in the movie "David and Bathsheba" (1951).
Bathsheba from “David and Bathsheba

The Biblical name Bathsheba appeared for the first time in the U.S. baby name data in 1951:

  • 1953: 14 baby girls named Bathsheba
  • 1952: 12 baby girls named Bathsheba
  • 1951: 9 baby girls named Bathsheba [debut]
  • 1950: unlisted
  • 1949: unlisted

What put it there?

The historical epic David and Bathsheba, which was released in mid-1951 and ended up becoming one of the top-grossing movies of the year. (It was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, father of Darrylin.)

The film, a retelling of the Biblical story, starred Gregory Peck as King David, whose “lust for a married woman [had] disastrous consequences for Israel.” The other star was Susan Hayward, who played Bathsheba, the wife of ill-fated soldier Uriah.

The name Bathsheba is an Anglicized form of the Hebrew name Bat Sheva, which means “daughter of the oath.” In the movie, it’s pronounced BATH-shee-bah.

What are your thoughts on the baby name Bathsheba?

Source: David and Bathsheba (1951) – TCM

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.