Meaning: Its source is beth te'ena, a Hebrew name meaning "Fig house."

Popularity: The name Bethanie ranked 3583rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: In Christian scripture, Bethany was the name of a Jerusalem suburb. It was the site of many events described in the New Testament, including Jesus' raising of Lazarus from the dead, the story of Simon the Leper, and the preparations for Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

This was also the name of the area where John the Baptist performed his ministry, though scholars believe this was a separate location.