Beatrice and Elizabeth? Same lady?

[Ayashi]

This sounds a bit daft to me and I'm the one posting it.

Has anyone ever come across Beatrice being used interchangeably to Elizabeth? 

One of my ancestors has, on his christening, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. He is the only one that says this- the rest of his apparent siblings are the children of Zacharias and Beatrice (Betris/Bettris/Betteris etc...). One might write this off as a single error, but for the fact that one of the earlier children later is buried as the dau of Zacharias and Elizabeth. I can't find a burial for a Beatrice (although maybe she's got a creative spelling I haven't thought of yet!) but could find one for Elizabeth.

She appears to have been christened as Beatrice.

I know that Beatrice isn't usually used as a diminutive of Elizabeth but it also doesn't sound like a name that would have been commonly used at the time (early 1700s) and I did wonder if it might have become occasionally confused with a diminutive like Betty, especially if the vicar was hard of hearing. I've heard of Isabelle being used interchangably with Elizabeth but I can't offer many explanations for Beatrice!

Anyone come across anything like this before? 

Ayashi

[Milliepede]

Could Elizabeth have been her middle name and she sometimes used it and sometimes used Beatrice or vice versa - feeble suggestion I know.   

[Ayashi]

I suppose it is possible, although as yet I've not found any record that has both names on it and the family didn't seem to be using many middle names. 

Sometimes I'm sure they deliberately try to confuse us.

[Brie]

There is a diminutive of Beatrice, Beattie, and if she was known as Beattie one could easily mishear it as Betty. Then the vicar and the person who recorded her death might think her real name was Elizabeth.

Convoluted, but possible

Brie

[Millmoor]

Suggest that you have a look at the "whatsinaname" site, Ayashi. Enter the name Beatrice and I think your question is answered. "whatsinaname" is one of my favourite sites - yes the exemplars are largely Scottish based but it has always helped me with conundrums regarding names that could perhaps be interchangeable and the use of diminutives and pet names.

William

Ps Your question is not a daft one. The answer to your question is they are interchangeable- I have come across this one before.

[Ayashi]

Thank you, Millmoor!

Goes to show, you can be doing FH for years and still come across something new!

Thanks all