Why Do People Name Their Car Betsy?

I knew an old lady named Betsy. She made the world’s greatest sandwiches, cut into triangles with the crust removed, served on a plaid table cloth alongside a plate of cookies. Betsy was great, as was the feast she often made. But I still wouldn’t name my car after her.

And yet many of you already have.

October 2 is “National Name Your Car Day.” Rather than America — and indeed most of the English-speaking world — picking a vehicular nickname that sounds cool or menacing or sexy, even, Betsy is the most popular choice.

And it’s not just Betsy, either. While it remains clear in the top spot, the second and third most favored nicknames are Bessie and Betty, according to one report from AutoNation. Basically every old person’s name that starts with the letter “B.”