Bethany
Bethany comes from a Hebrew place name — the town of Bethany near Jerusalem, where the New Testament says Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and where Mary anointed Jesus's feet. The Hebrew is debated: it may derive from "beit ani" (house of affliction/poverty) or "beit te'ena" (house of figs). As a first name, Bethany is modern — it was rarely used before the 20th century. It entered the US top 1000 in 1949 and climbed steadily, peaking at #59 in 1984. The name has a certain evangelical Protestant association: Bethany was the site of a key New Testament miracle, and the name was adopted enthusiastically by Christian families in the 1970s and 80s. I find Bethany has a soft, almost wistful quality. The "th" in the middle gives it an English-genteel texture, and the "-any" ending gives it openness. Bethany Hamilton, the surfer who lost her arm to a shark at age 13 and returned to professional surfing, gave the name a modern image of resilience. Bethany is a female name of Hebrew (place name) origin that means "House of affliction (or house of figs)". Gentle, faithful, and quietly determined. The name sounds soft. Bethanys tend to be steadier than they appear. US peaked #59 in 1984. Now outside top 500. Well-known people named Bethany include Bethany Hamilton (surfer), Bethany Joy Lenz (actress), Bethany (biblical place), Bethany McLean (journalist). Common variations and related forms of Bethany include Bethanie (French), Bethany (English), Beth (short form), Bethann (modern).