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The short answer
Bethany is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning ‘house of affliction’ or ‘house of figs’. In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha." It ranked #752 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning ‘house of affliction’ or ‘house of figs’. In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Bethany ranked #752 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #752 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Bethany in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bethany mean?
Behind the Name does not give Bethany a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία.
Is Bethany a popular name?
Bethany ranked #752 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Bethany a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Bethany appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Bethany — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
