Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Bethlehem has 4 different meanings across 2 categories:
a town in eastern Pennsylvania on the Lehigh River to the northwest of Philadelphia; an important center for steel production
"Bethlehem became famous as a major hub for steel production along the Lehigh River."
a small town near Jerusalem on the West Bank of the Jordan River; early home of David and regarded as the place where Jesus was born
"Bethlehem is the historic village near Jerusalem traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus."
A lunatic asylum.
"The old town was once nicknamed Bethlehem, a local euphemism for the nearby lunatic asylum where many of its former residents were sent."
A city in the West Bank, Palestine, believed to be the birthplace of Jesus.
"Thousands of pilgrims traveled to Bethlehem each year to visit the church where they believe Jesus was born."
Inherited from Middle English Bethleem, from Old French Bethleem and Old English Bethleem, from Latin Bēthlehēmum, from Ancient Greek Βηθλεέμ (Bēthleém), from Hebrew בֵּית לֶחֶם (bēṯ lɛ́ḥɛm, literally "house of bread"). Doublet of bedlam and Belém.