Belen

Belen is the spelling without the accent of Spanish Belén, the Spanish name for Bethlehem. The biblical place name is traditionally interpreted from Hebrew as “house of bread.” As a first name in Spanish-speaking communities, Belén often carries a Christian association with the birthplace of Jesus and with the Christmas story.

The accent in Belén marks the final syllable as stressed; omitting it in English-language records does not necessarily mean the family intends a different pronunciation. Belen also occurs in Turkish place names, where it can refer to a mountainside or pass, but that is a separate linguistic history. The Spanish devotional name should not be explained by combining those two unrelated geographical meanings.