The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Biblia.com)

Etymology

There are two major positions regarding the etymology of the name Bethany:

1. It may get its name from the village Ananiah in Neh 11:32 (Albright, Oriental Research, 158–160), which was settled by the Benjaminites after the Babylonian exile. Saller argues the number of artifacts from the Persian period excavated at Bethany seem to confirm this identification (Saller, Excavations at Bethany, 374).

2. It may get its name from the Aramaic words beth and anya, which means “house of the poor” or “poorhouse” (Capper, “Essene Community Houses,” 472). Capper argues that the Essenes founded “poorhouse(s)” outside of Jerusalem for lepers and others who were deemed unclean. Mark 14:3–10 confirms the presence of lepers in Bethany (e.g., Simon the leper), and Mark 14:7 mentions concern for the poor.

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