Bethena
A feminine name possibly of English origin, meaning uncertain.
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Bethena. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Bethena today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bethena births was 1917 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bethena. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Bethena is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Bethenas were born before 1970.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bethena. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
1917
6 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1968 SSA rank
#7,090
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Bethena: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Bethena from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 17 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bethena by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bethena during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Bethena
The name Bethena has its origins in the ancient Greek language, with roots that can be traced back to the 5th century BCE. The name is believed to be derived from the Greek word "bethania," which means "house of dates" or "house of figs." This suggests that the name may have been associated with agricultural communities or regions known for their date or fig cultivation.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Bethena can be found in the works of Herodotus, the renowned Greek historian who lived from 484 to 425 BCE. In his writings, he mentions a woman named Bethena who was a priestess in the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, a major city in ancient Greece.
During the Byzantine era, which spanned from the 4th to the 15th century CE, the name Bethena was occasionally used among Greek families. One notable figure from this period was Bethena of Constantinople, a noblewoman who lived in the 12th century and was known for her philanthropic work and patronage of the arts.
In the realm of literature, the name Bethena appears in the epic poem "The Iliad" by Homer, which is believed to have been composed in the 8th century BCE. In the poem, Bethena is mentioned as a handmaiden to the goddess Hera.
Moving forward to the Renaissance period, a notable figure bearing the name Bethena was Bethena Ravelli, an Italian painter and poet who lived from 1510 to 1592. She was renowned for her skill in portraiture and her contributions to the artistic and literary circles of her time.
Another historical figure of note was Bethena de Valois, a French noblewoman who lived from 1553 to 1624. She was a prominent figure at the court of King Henry IV and played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of her era.
While the name Bethena has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has been used across various regions and time periods, suggesting its enduring appeal and cultural significance.
People
Bethena + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bethena as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bethena: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bethena?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bethena going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Bethena a common name?
We classify Bethena as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 48 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bethena most popular?
The single biggest year for Bethena was 1917, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bethena is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bethena in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bethena a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bethena in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Bethena still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bethena in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bethena can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Bethena?
Find out how many Americans are named Bethena on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.