I thought Beth was short for Elizabeth.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:34, 2 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

It can be short for either, I believe

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:35, Reply)

Bert would be more appropriate for Beatrice.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:38, Reply)

It'd be more appropriate for her too.

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:47, Reply)

In my case, it is.
I've never heard it as a version of Beatrice. These days it's more likely to be short for Bethany.

Then again, I never understood how Daisy was short for Margaret, Sally was short for Sarah, and Dick was short for Richard.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:39, Reply)

There is no way Daisy is short for Margaret
or Sally for Sarah, that's just stupid
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:57, Reply)

No, they are, traditionally.
The Daisy thing comes from the fact that there is a flower called a marguerite which is a big daisy type flower.
( b3th Not shit. Not mod., Fri 19 Aug 2011, 17:04, Reply)

pah
that's not short for. That'd be like calling me Cat.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 17:07, Reply)