Belen
house of bread (Hebrew via Spanish name for Bethlehem)
Belen is a spanish / biblical girl name in the Philippines. In the civil registry as of May 2021 it is number 349, with 23,312 records. It has 2 syllables.
Origin and meaning
house of bread (Hebrew via Spanish name for Bethlehem)
Belen comes directly from the Spanish name for the biblical town of Bethlehem. In Hispanic and Catholic traditions, it was adopted as a given name in honor of the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Bethlehem. In the Philippines, it became deeply established during the Spanish colonial period and also directly mirrors the Tagalog word 'belen' meaning the Christmas nativity scene.
Derived from the Spanish name for Bethlehem (Belén), referring to the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Belén (Our Lady of Bethlehem). The placename Bethlehem originates from Hebrew meaning 'house of bread'.
Name character
In the Philippines
A traditional Catholic given name commonly given to women born around Christmastime. Common nicknames include Len, Leni, Leny, and Be.
Related forms
- Belén Spanish
Would your family give Belen?
Mark it if your family would give this first name. The count is for 2026 on this site. It is not the civil registry, and it is not babies registered in 2024. One browser can choose a name once in the year.
No family on this site has marked Belen for 2026 yet.
Belen with common surname pairs
Each pair is a mother's maiden surname plus a father's surname. The number is the sound-fit score for this first name.
Related girl names
About the name Belen
How do I use Belen with two Filipino surnames?
Belen is the given name. The full name is Belen + mother's maiden surname + father's surname. Score a pair from a combination page or the homepage search.
Is Belen a common girl name in the Philippines?
In the civil registry as of May 2021, Belen is number 349, with 23,312 records. That is not the 2024 birth list, and it does not say the name is a better choice. How it sounds with both family surnames is a separate score.