Hi Jennifer,

First of all, thanks for all the questions you answer! I really appreciate them!

I was looking for the name Bethel and didn’t see it in your database. Some websites seem to say it’s for a girl, and some for a boy. I have found out it’s Hebrew and means “House of God”, but I was wondering if you had any more information on it? Specifically, is this name more common in other cultures or languages, and is it more popular for a certain gender over the other? Thanks so much for your help.

Shelley C.

Hi Shelley,

You’re very welcome!  Thanks for being a loyal reader.  Bethel is historically a female name and does, indeed, mean “House of God.” It’s originally a place name from the Old Testament of the Bible, a town north of Jerusalem.  It is often used as a name for temples or churches.

It is not very common as a given name.  

Sincerely,

Jennifer