Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Bethel

Bethel

♀ Girl

Pronounced BETH-əl /ˈbɛθ.əl/High

Meaning: House of God; the biblical place where Jacob dreamed of the ladder to heavenHigh

In 30 seconds: The place where heaven touched earth: Bethel is Hebrew 'house of God' — where Jacob dreamed of the ladder to heaven and named the ground holy. A sanctuary in a name, with Beth inside.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighHebrew
MeaningHouse of God; the biblical place where Jacob dreamed of the ladder to heaven
U.S. rank (2025)#3406 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births45 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,221

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218902025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Bethel is Hebrew Beth-El, 'house of God' — the place where Jacob dreamed of the stairway to heaven and set up a pillar (Genesis 28). The name spread through countless churches and towns, and as a girls' name it thrives especially in Ethiopian and African Christian communities.

In the U.S. it appears across Habesha and church-rooted families, rare nationally. Sacred at the root, with the friendly Beth built in.

Did you know? Jacob named Bethel after dreaming of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending — 'this is the house of God, the gate of heaven', he said on waking.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Bethel — etymology

Variations

BethelleBetel

Nicknames

BethBethy

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Bethel…

Bethany— a fellow Beth- biblical place name
Selah— the companion scriptural word name
Eden— the paradise-place name beside it
Raquel— lands in the same popularity range
Jael— another Hebrew name

Explore names like Bethel

By themehebrewbiblicalplace-name
By meaningGod / DivineSky / Heaven

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Bethel mean?

Bethel is Hebrew for 'house of God' — the place where Jacob dreamed of the ladder to heaven.

How do you pronounce Bethel?

It's said BETH-əl /ˈbɛθ.əl/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Bethel a boy or girl name?

Bethel is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Bethel?

Bethel is a rare name in the U.S., familiar in Ethiopian and church-rooted families.

💬 Ask Nia