Belém is a Portuguese female given name of Spanish origin. It means "Bethlehem" in English and refers to the city in Palestine where Jesus Christ was born according to Christian tradition.
The name Belém is derived from the Hebrew word "Beit Lechem," which translates to "house of bread." The name has been popular among Portuguese families for centuries, particularly during the time of Portugal's Age of Discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries when the country was at the forefront of European exploration.
Belém is also the name of a district and a civil parish in Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. The Belém Tower, a famous landmark located in this area, is one of the oldest landmarks in Lisbon and a symbol of Portuguese maritime discoveries during the Age of Exploration.
Throughout history, the name Belém has been associated with several notable figures, including Brazilian poet Belem Dias de Resende and Portuguese singer Belém Santos. However, its most significant association remains with the historic city of Bethlehem and Portugal's rich seafaring past.
Based on the provided statistics, we can observe an interesting pattern and trend related to the number of births with the name Belem in the United States over several decades.
From 1951 onwards, there was a steady increase in the number of newborn girls named Belem up until the late 1980s. The first significant peak occurred in 1990 with 17 births, indicating that this particular year could have been quite popular for the name Belem.
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, there was a degree of fluctuation in the number of newborn girls named Belem each year. However, it is notable that the annual count remained relatively consistent, with most years ranging between 6 to 15 births.
The trend continued into the 2000s, with another peak occurring in 2006, where there were 15 births recorded. This suggests that the name Belem experienced popularity at various points over these decades.
Interestingly, despite the fluctuations, there has been a consistent presence of newborn girls named Belem each year since 1951, indicating enduring preference for this name among parents in the United States. According to the data provided, there have been a total of 296 births with the name Belem recorded from 1951 to 2019.
In conclusion, while the popularity of the name Belem has varied over time, it remains a frequently chosen name for girls in the United States, with consistent usage throughout several decades.