Bethel Unisex

Popularity: #903 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: BETH-uhl //ˈbɛθ.əl//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: House of God; English: A place of worship

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Bethel has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the words 'beit' meaning 'house' and 'el' meaning 'God.' Thus, Bethel translates to 'house of God.' This name appears in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, where it is associated with a significant location in ancient Israel, a site where Jacob had a dream of a ladder reaching to heaven. The name Bethel was later adopted into Greek as 'Bethel' (Βαιθήλ) and subsequently into Latin, maintaining its original form, before being introduced into Old French and eventually into English.

Historically, Bethel is notable for its biblical significance. It is mentioned multiple times in the Old Testament, particularly in the context of Jacob's journey and the establishment of a sanctuary there.

The town of Bethel served as a religious center during the period of the Israelite monarchy and was significant in the narratives of the divided kingdom. The name also appears in various translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611, which helped to solidify its presence in English-speaking cultures.

Culturally, Bethel carries a strong religious connotation, often symbolizing a place of worship and divine presence. It has been used in various religious contexts, including Christian hymns and literature, reinforcing its association with faith and spirituality.

The name has also inspired various diminutive forms and related names, such as Beth, which can evoke similar meanings of home and divinity. Overall, Bethel's enduring significance is rooted in its historical, religious, and cultural associations, making it a name rich in meaning.

Famous people named Bethel

In this section, you will find notable people named Bethel. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Bethel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Bethel who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Bethel Leslie is an actress best known for The Twilight Zone, The Edge of Night, and The Naked City.

Bethel L. H. H. is a notable figure in the field of education best known for her work in educational reform and advocacy.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Bethel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

BethanyElizaNaomiRachelMiriam

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Bethel. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

BeverlyBerylBeatriceBelleBridgetBiancaBlytheBetsy

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Bethel was first seen in the United States in 1890.

Bethel has ranked as high as #1077 nationally, which occurred in 1922, and has been most popular in Kentucky, Texas, Michigan, California, and Tennessee.

In the past 5 years the name Bethel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Bethel is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Bethel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Bethel.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 51 6 45
2024 42 0 42
2023 42 0 42
2022 47 5 42
2021 63 0 63
2020 60 6 54
2019 57 0 57
2018 82 0 82
2017 66 0 66
2016 88 9 79
2015 70 0 70
2014 59 0 59
2013 56 6 50
2012 58 5 53
2011 48 0 48
2010 47 0 47
2009 49 0 49
2008 38 0 38
2007 33 0 33
2006 24 0 24
2005 35 0 35
2004 45 7 38
2003 24 0 24
2002 33 0 33
2001 24 0 24
2000 26 0 26
1999 14 0 14
1998 11 0 11
1997 12 0 12
1996 16 0 16
1994 12 0 12
1993 13 0 13
1992 10 0 10
1991 13 0 13
1990 10 0 10
1989 13 0 13
1988 15 0 15
1987 6 0 6
1986 10 0 10
1985 11 0 11
1984 11 0 11
1983 15 5 10
1982 8 0 8
1981 6 0 6
1980 17 0 17
1979 10 0 10
1978 9 0 9
1977 18 6 12
1976 15 0 15
1975 21 6 15
1974 7 0 7
1973 21 0 21
1972 10 0 10
1971 16 0 16
1970 20 5 15
1969 24 8 16
1968 17 0 17
1967 40 7 33
1966 26 0 26
1965 25 6 19
1964 25 0 25
1963 26 0 26
1962 29 7 22
1961 22 5 17
1960 23 0 23
1959 21 7 14
1958 33 5 28
1957 31 6 25
1956 29 10 19
1955 35 9 26
1954 30 8 22
1953 25 6 19
1952 35 11 24
1951 58 19 39
1950 48 14 34
1949 35 10 25
1948 46 10 36
1947 49 15 34
1946 49 9 40
1945 41 10 31
1944 45 12 33
1943 71 17 54
1942 46 8 38
1941 67 18 49
1940 72 20 52
1939 61 12 49
1938 76 21 55
1937 72 25 47
1936 78 19 59
1935 76 14 62
1934 83 19 64
1933 74 9 65
1932 86 12 74
1931 85 16 69
1930 98 36 62
1929 90 21 69
1928 89 18 71
1927 117 18 99
1926 103 17 86
1925 125 32 93
1924 148 32 116
1923 134 26 108
1922 150 31 119
1921 136 24 112
1920 129 25 104
1919 144 39 105
1918 146 33 113
1917 138 22 116
1916 137 33 104
1915 118 22 96
1914 107 28 79
1913 81 17 64
1912 67 13 54
1911 33 6 27
1910 40 0 40
1909 43 7 36
1908 35 5 30
1907 37 5 32
1906 32 5 27
1905 32 7 25
1904 21 0 21
1903 20 0 20
1902 21 0 21
1901 20 0 20
1900 35 5 30
1899 18 0 18
1898 26 9 17
1897 18 0 18
1896 14 0 14
1895 14 0 14
1894 10 0 10
1893 19 0 19
1892 18 5 13
1891 17 5 12
1890 6 0 6

Top States for Bethel (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 7
100%