Babe

Babe is an English nickname and given name derived from the Middle English word babe, meaning infant or baby, itself of uncertain but likely imitative origin, possibly echoing the babbling sounds of an infant. It has long functioned as a term of endearment in English-speaking cultures and crossed into use as a personal name, particularly in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The name is strongly associated with the American baseball legend Babe Ruth, born George Herman Ruth, whose nickname became so iconic that it influenced broader use of the name. Related forms include Baby and Babette, the latter being a French diminutive of Barbara sometimes used in similar affectionate contexts.