Meaning of the name "Bethlehem"

Q. Does the name of the town “Bethlehem” have a literal meaning in Hebrew?

A. “Bethlehem” means “House of Bread.” We can see, then, just how appropriate this name is for the birthplace of Jesus Christ, who called Himself the “Bread of Life” (John 6:48).

The prefix “Beth,” which means “house,” appears in other biblical place names as well. “Bethsaida” means “House of Fishing.” “Bethany” means, according to some scholars, “House of Misery,” though others think it derives from the Hebrew for “House of Dates.”