Belen

house of bread (Hebrew via Spanish name for Bethlehem)

Belen is a spanish / biblical girl name in the Philippines. PSA rank #349 (23,312 records), 2 syllables.

Spanish / Biblical Spanish colonial
PSA rank
#349
Count
23,312
Syllables
2
Origin
Spanish / Biblical
Historical layer
Spanish colonial
Sound
Soft

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'.

Spanish 70% Biblical 30%

Name character

Strength
3/5
Modernity
2/5
Formal feel
3/5
Sound: Soft Saint Pairs with short or long surnames Travels well High origin confidence

In the Philippines

A traditional Catholic given name commonly given to women born around Christmastime. Common nicknames include Len, Leni, Leny, and Be.

Best known for: The Nativity scene (Belen) / Our Lady of Bethlehem

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Belen with popular surnames

How the first name sits with a mother's maiden surname and father's surname.

Belen dela Cruz Garcia 79
2–3–3 · BCG
Belen dela Cruz Reyes 85
2–3–2 · BCR
Belen Garcia dela Cruz 81
2–3–3 · BGC
Belen Garcia Reyes 87
2–3–2 · BGR
Belen Reyes dela Cruz 85
2–2–3 · BRC
Belen Reyes Garcia 85
2–2–3 · BRG
Belen Ramos dela Cruz 85
2–2–3 · BRC
Belen Ramos Garcia 85
2–2–3 · BRG
Belen Ramos Reyes 80
2–2–2 · BRR
Belen Mendoza dela Cruz 81
2–3–3 · BMC
Belen Mendoza Garcia 81
2–3–3 · BMG
Belen Mendoza Reyes 87
2–3–2 · BMR
Belen Santos dela Cruz 85
2–2–3 · BSC
Belen Santos Garcia 85
2–2–3 · BSG
Belen Santos Reyes 81
2–2–2 · BSR
Belen Flores dela Cruz 85
2–2–3 · BFC
Belen Flores Garcia 85
2–2–3 · BFG
Belen Flores Reyes 79
2–2–2 · BFR
Belen Gonzales dela Cruz 79
2–3–3 · BGC
Belen Gonzales Garcia 78
2–3–3 · BGG
Belen Gonzales Reyes 82
2–3–2 · BGR

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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?

PSA rank #349 describes how often this given name appears in Philippine records — not whether it is a better name. Fit with both family surnames still matters more for the birth certificate.