Bethany
The biblical village near Jerusalem where Lazarus lived, possibly Aramaic for “house of figs.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Bethany first shows up in the national records in 1915. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1983 to 1988. Its biggest year was 1987, when 3,294 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 87 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 751 for girls. All told, 101,086 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Bethanie (3,733), Bethani (1,020), Bethaney (632) (total births since 1880)
Explore Bethany interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 46 | No. 2384 |
| 1920s | 119 | No. 1946 |
| 1930s | 164 | No. 1378 |
| 1940s | 471 | No. 903 |
| 1950s | 1,514 | No. 706 |
| 1960s | 3,807 | No. 372 |
| 1970s | 12,180 | No. 135 |
| 1980s | 29,331 | No. 87 |
| 1990s | 27,753 | No. 107 |
| 2000s | 15,369 | No. 151 |
| 2010s | 7,615 | No. 350 |
| 2020s | 2,533 | No. 601 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.