Bethel Unisex
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.
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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Bethel was first seen in the United States in 1890.
Bethel has ranked as high as #777 nationally, which occurred in 1922, and has been most popular in Kentucky, Michigan, California, Texas, and West Virginia.
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.
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. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 7 |
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 | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 42 |
| 2023 | 42 |
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2021 | 63 |
| 2020 | 54 |
| 2019 | 57 |
| 2018 | 82 |
| 2017 | 66 |
| 2016 | 79 |
| 2015 | 70 |
| 2014 | 59 |
| 2013 | 50 |
| 2012 | 53 |
| 2011 | 48 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2009 | 49 |
| 2008 | 38 |
| 2007 | 33 |
| 2006 | 24 |
| 2005 | 35 |
| 2004 | 38 |
| 2003 | 24 |
| 2002 | 33 |
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2000 | 26 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1997 | 12 |
| 1996 | 16 |
| 1994 | 12 |
| 1993 | 13 |
| 1992 | 10 |
| 1991 | 13 |
| 1990 | 10 |
| 1989 | 13 |
| 1988 | 15 |
| 1987 | 6 |
| 1986 | 10 |
| 1985 | 11 |
| 1984 | 11 |
| 1983 | 10 |
| 1982 | 8 |
| 1981 | 6 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1979 | 10 |
| 1978 | 9 |
| 1977 | 12 |
| 1976 | 15 |
| 1975 | 15 |
| 1974 | 7 |
| 1973 | 21 |
| 1972 | 10 |
| 1971 | 16 |
| 1970 | 15 |
| 1969 | 16 |
| 1968 | 17 |
| 1967 | 33 |
| 1966 | 26 |
| 1965 | 19 |
| 1964 | 25 |
| 1963 | 26 |
| 1962 | 22 |
| 1961 | 17 |
| 1960 | 23 |
| 1959 | 14 |
| 1958 | 28 |
| 1957 | 25 |
| 1956 | 19 |
| 1955 | 26 |
| 1954 | 22 |
| 1953 | 19 |
| 1952 | 24 |
| 1951 | 39 |
| 1950 | 34 |
| 1949 | 25 |
| 1948 | 36 |
| 1947 | 34 |
| 1946 | 40 |
| 1945 | 31 |
| 1944 | 33 |
| 1943 | 54 |
| 1942 | 38 |
| 1941 | 49 |
| 1940 | 52 |
| 1939 | 49 |
| 1938 | 55 |
| 1937 | 47 |
| 1936 | 59 |
| 1935 | 62 |
| 1934 | 64 |
| 1933 | 65 |
| 1932 | 74 |
| 1931 | 69 |
| 1930 | 62 |
| 1929 | 69 |
| 1928 | 71 |
| 1927 | 99 |
| 1926 | 86 |
| 1925 | 93 |
| 1924 | 116 |
| 1923 | 108 |
| 1922 | 119 |
| 1921 | 112 |
| 1920 | 104 |
| 1919 | 105 |
| 1918 | 113 |
| 1917 | 116 |
| 1916 | 104 |
| 1915 | 96 |
| 1914 | 79 |
| 1913 | 64 |
| 1912 | 54 |
| 1911 | 27 |
| 1910 | 40 |
| 1909 | 36 |
| 1908 | 30 |
| 1907 | 32 |
| 1906 | 27 |
| 1905 | 25 |
| 1904 | 21 |
| 1903 | 20 |
| 1902 | 21 |
| 1901 | 20 |
| 1900 | 30 |
| 1899 | 18 |
| 1898 | 17 |
| 1897 | 18 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 14 |
| 1894 | 10 |
| 1893 | 19 |
| 1892 | 13 |
| 1891 | 12 |
| 1890 | 6 |