BETHANY

From the name of a biblical town, possibly derived from Hebreo בֵּית־תְּאֵנָה (beit-teenah) meaning house of figs. In the New Testament the town of Bethany was the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the Inglés-speaking world since the 19th century, used primarily by Catholics in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.

“BETH-ə-nee (English)”