Bethany: Meaning, origin and popularity

Pronounced BETH-uh-nee · 3 syllables

Bethany means “house of wretchedness”, from Hebrew and Greek.

From Ancient Greek (Bethania), from Aramaic (beth anya, “house of wretchedness”). This etymology is highly disputed; see Bethany.

How popular is Bethany?

Bethany was the #751 name in the US in 2025, given to 362 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 51% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.

Babies named Bethany in the US by five-year period, relative to its peak (around 1980).

Half of US adults named Bethany are older than 37; most are between 21 and 57. (Estimated from US births by year and life tables.)

Chosen by the same families or with a similar style and era.

Bethany means “house of wretchedness”. It comes from Hebrew and Greek.

Bethany is pronounced BETH-uh-nee.

Bethany was the #751 name in the US in 2025, given to 362 babies. It’s used less than it was: down 51% on 2011–2015. It peaked around 1980.

Half of US adults named Bethany are older than 37. Most are between 21 and 57.