Bethany

Updated: August 16, 2021 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Bethany has been in popular use in America since the 1950s. Prior to this, it was in use in Europe among members of the Catholic church since the 1800s. The name represents the name of a town that is found in the New Testament where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived.

Meaning of the name Bethany:

Hebrew: house of figs
English: place of figs, town near Jerusalem

Origin of the name Bethany:

Bethany originates as a place name based on the town Bethania in the Greek language. The town of Bethany is seen throughout the New Testament as it is where Mary and Martha lived with their brother Lazarus. During the 1800s, Catholics began to use Bethany as a first name to honor Mary from the city.

Symbolism of the name Bethany:

Bethany was originally intended by the Catholic church to be a name that would honor Mary and her siblings who were from the Biblical town. This is why the name Bethany retains the same meaning as the town of Bethany which is “house of figs.”

Style of the name Bethany:

Traditional

Gender of the name Bethany:

Bethany is a great name for baby girls.

Pronunciation of the name Bethany:

BETH-uh-nee

Number of syllables in the name Bethany:

Three

Emotion evoked from the name Bethany:

Bethany is a wholesome name that is lighthearted and kind. It also feels full of passion.

Alternative spellings for the name Bethany:

Bathanee
Bathanei
Bethaney
Bethani
Bethanie
Bethanny

Nicknames for the name Bethany:

Beth
Bethel
Betty
Thany
Annie
Effie
Anne

Popularity of the name Bethany:

The baby name Bethany became a top 1,000 name in America in 1949 at number 903. It was a top 200 name from 1976 to 1982 and again from 1989 to 2002. Between that time, from 1983 to 188, Bethany was a top 100 name. The popularity has sharply declined as Bethany is now rank 603 for girls.