Bethany
From Ancient Greek Βηθανία (Bēthanía), from Aramaic בית עניא (beth anya, “house of wretchedness”).
Every Bethany since 1915 — 101,086 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Bethany
Bethany is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #752 in 2025 with 362 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 101,086 American babies have been named Bethany. Its peak came in 1987, when 3,307 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Bethany stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Bethany year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 362 | #752 | — | — |
| 2024 | 389 | #725 | — | — |
| 2023 | 390 | #721 | — | — |
| 2022 | 444 | #665 | — | — |
| 2021 | 465 | #637 | — | — |
| 2020 | 483 | #602 | — | — |
| 2019 | 550 | #552 | — | — |
| 2018 | 658 | #475 | — | — |
| 2017 | 629 | #497 | — | — |
| 2016 | 692 | #460 | — | — |
| 2015 | 770 | #415 | — | — |
| 2014 | 829 | #393 | — | — |
| 2013 | 803 | #386 | — | — |
| 2012 | 904 | #352 | — | — |
| 2011 | 915 | #350 | — | — |
| 2010 | 865 | #368 | — | — |
| 2009 | 965 | #341 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,065 | #315 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,168 | #291 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,405 | #243 | — | — |
| 2005 | 1,504 | #227 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,629 | #207 | 8 | #8,220 |
| 2003 | 1,619 | #204 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,793 | #178 | — | — |
| 2001 | 2,030 | #158 | 5 | #10,751 |
| 2000 | 2,191 | #151 | — | — |
| 1995 | 2,743 | #116 | 5 | #9,008 |
| 1990 | 3,238 | #107 | 7 | #6,476 |
| 1985 | 2,959 | #94 | 9 | #4,364 |
| 1980 | 2,497 | #124 | 10 | #3,875 |
| 1975 | 1,136 | #218 | — | — |
| 1970 | 703 | #356 | 6 | #4,278 |
| 1965 | 387 | #483 | — | — |
| 1960 | 215 | #694 | — | — |
| 1955 | 170 | #727 | — | — |
| 1950 | 117 | #804 | — | — |
| 1945 | 34 | #1,378 | — | — |
| 1940 | 22 | #1,689 | — | — |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,611 | — | — |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,087 | — | — |
| 1925 | 20 | #1,949 | — | — |
| 1920 | 11 | #2,918 | — | — |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,838 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Bethany
- Bethany Joy Lenz Actor · b. 1981
- Bethany Hamilton Writer · b. 1990
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Bethany mean?
From Ancient Greek Βηθανία (Bēthanía), from Aramaic בית עניא (beth anya, “house of wretchedness”).
How popular is the name Bethany in 2025?
Bethany ranked #752 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 362 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Bethany?
101,086 babies have been named Bethany in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Bethany most popular?
Bethany peaked in 1987, when 3,307 newborns received the name.
Is Bethany a boy or girl name?
Bethany is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Bethany rising or falling?
Bethany is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Bethany?
Well-known people named Bethany include Bethany Joy Lenz (actor), Bethany Hamilton (writer).