Bethany
Girl name · #752 in 2025 · Rare
Bethany is currently the #752 girl name in the United States — 362 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #415, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,972 girls born in 2025 was named Bethany.
Babies named Bethany per year. Source: SSA.
The 110-year story
Bethany first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1987, when 3,294 girls were named Bethany — good for #87 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Bethany against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Bethany in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Bethany is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Bethany will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Bethany is most common
Geography matters for names, and Bethany is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Bethany is most common in PA (0.7 per 1,000), KY (0.6 per 1,000), WI (0.6 per 1,000), IN (0.4 per 1,000), OH (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Bethany is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Bethany
Statistically, parents drawn to Bethany tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tiffany, Brittany, Stephany, Lacey, and Casey.
TiffanyBrittanyStephanyLaceyCaseyJessicaKendraLindsey
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Bethany | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 362 | #751 |
| 2024 | 389 | #725 |
| 2023 | 390 | #720 |
| 2022 | 444 | #665 |
| 2021 | 465 | #637 |
| 2020 | 483 | #601 |
| 2019 | 550 | #552 |
| 2018 | 658 | #474 |
| 2017 | 629 | #497 |
| 2016 | 692 | #460 |
| 2015 | 770 | #415 |
| 2014 | 829 | #393 |
| 2013 | 803 | #386 |
| 2012 | 904 | #352 |
| 2011 | 915 | #350 |
| 2010 | 865 | #368 |
| 2009 | 965 | #341 |
| 2008 | 1,065 | #315 |
| 2007 | 1,168 | #291 |
| 2006 | 1,405 | #243 |
| 2005 | 1,504 | #227 |
| 2004 | 1,629 | #207 |
| 2003 | 1,619 | #204 |
| 2002 | 1,793 | #178 |
| 2001 | 2,030 | #158 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bethany a popular girl name?
Bethany ranked #752 among girls in 2025 with 362 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #415.
When was the name Bethany most popular?
Bethany peaked in 1987, when 3,294 American girls received the name (ranked #87 that year). Since 1987 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Bethany?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,972 newborn American girls was named Bethany. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.