Rebecca Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: reh-BEK-ah //rəˈbɛkə//
Origin: Hebrew; Latin
Meaning: Hebrew: to bind; Latin: to tie
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Rebecca has its roots in the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqah), which is believed to derive from the Hebrew verb "r-b-q," meaning "to tie" or "to bind." This etymology suggests connotations of connection and commitment. The name was adopted into Greek as Ῥεβέκκα (Rebékka) and subsequently into Latin as Rebeccah, before making its way into Old French as Rebeque, and finally into Middle English as Rebecca.
This linguistic journey highlights the name's enduring presence across cultures and languages, ultimately solidifying its place in English-speaking contexts. Historically, Rebecca is a significant biblical figure, appearing in the Book of Genesis as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Her story, which includes themes of faith and divine purpose, has resonated through centuries, contributing to the name's prominence in Jewish and Christian traditions. The name gained further recognition through various translations of the Bible, including the King James Version published in 1611, which helped to popularize biblical names in English-speaking societies.
Culturally, Rebecca has been associated with qualities such as loyalty and nurturing, reflecting the character of the biblical Rebecca. This association has allowed the name to maintain its relevance over time, often appearing in literature and art as a symbol of steadfastness and familial bonds.
Additionally, diminutive forms such as Becca have emerged, further enriching the name's cultural tapestry. The enduring legacy of Rebecca is evident in its frequent appearances in religious texts, literature, and folklore, where it continues to evoke themes of love, devotion, and strength.
Famous people named Rebecca
In this section, you will find notable people named Rebecca. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Rebecca who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Rebecca who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Rebecca Ferguson is an actress best known for The Greatest Showman, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, and Dune.
Rebecca Romijn is an actress and model best known for X-Men, Ugly Betty, and Star Trek: Discovery.
Rebecca Black is a singer and internet personality best known for the song Friday and her viral music videos.
Rebecca Sugar is an animator and songwriter best known for creating Steven Universe and for her work on Adventure Time.
Fictional characters named Rebecca
The following list of fictional characters named Rebecca is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Rebecca is a fictional character from the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. She is the deceased first wife of Maxim de Winter, whose presence looms large over the story and affects the lives of the characters around her.
Rebecca Bunch is a fictional character from the television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She is a complex woman who impulsively moves to California in pursuit of her high school boyfriend, leading to a journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Rebecca, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Rebecca. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Rebecca was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Rebecca has ranked as high as #39 nationally, which occurred in 1981, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
In the past 5 years the name Rebecca has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Rebecca is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Rebecca was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Rebecca (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 107 | |
| TX | 102 | |
| NY | 69 | |
| FL | 56 | |
| NJ | 41 | |
| PA | 38 | |
| GA | 32 | |
| OH | 29 | |
| IN | 27 | |
| NC | 25 | |
| MA | 24 | |
| AZ | 22 | |
| VA | 20 | |
| IL | 19 | |
| TN | 18 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Rebecca.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 910 |
| 2023 | 984 |
| 2022 | 1,074 |
| 2021 | 1,049 |
| 2020 | 1,211 |
| 2019 | 1,260 |
| 2018 | 1,459 |
| 2017 | 1,433 |
| 2016 | 1,578 |
| 2015 | 1,728 |
| 2014 | 1,781 |
| 2013 | 1,805 |
| 2012 | 2,019 |
| 2011 | 2,118 |
| 2010 | 2,298 |
| 2009 | 2,471 |
| 2008 | 2,920 |
| 2007 | 3,215 |
| 2006 | 3,571 |
| 2005 | 4,017 |
| 2004 | 4,472 |
| 2003 | 4,869 |
| 2002 | 5,222 |
| 2001 | 5,893 |
| 2000 | 7,078 |
| 1999 | 7,437 |
| 1998 | 8,423 |
| 1997 | 9,632 |
| 1996 | 10,626 |
| 1995 | 9,910 |
| 1994 | 11,283 |
| 1993 | 12,321 |
| 1992 | 13,110 |
| 1991 | 13,300 |
| 1990 | 13,675 |
| 1989 | 12,435 |
| 1988 | 11,876 |
| 1987 | 11,626 |
| 1986 | 11,793 |
| 1985 | 12,704 |
| 1984 | 13,349 |
| 1983 | 14,714 |
| 1982 | 15,729 |
| 1981 | 16,737 |
| 1980 | 15,280 |
| 1979 | 14,550 |
| 1978 | 13,795 |
| 1977 | 14,196 |
| 1976 | 14,490 |
| 1975 | 13,926 |
| 1974 | 15,165 |
| 1973 | 14,869 |
| 1972 | 13,253 |
| 1971 | 12,192 |
| 1970 | 10,855 |
| 1969 | 10,950 |
| 1968 | 10,225 |
| 1967 | 9,823 |
| 1966 | 9,777 |
| 1965 | 10,210 |
| 1964 | 9,475 |
| 1963 | 9,392 |
| 1962 | 9,403 |
| 1961 | 10,237 |
| 1960 | 9,970 |
| 1959 | 10,474 |
| 1958 | 10,416 |
| 1957 | 11,482 |
| 1956 | 12,170 |
| 1955 | 12,397 |
| 1954 | 13,208 |
| 1953 | 12,961 |
| 1952 | 12,226 |
| 1951 | 10,931 |
| 1950 | 9,426 |
| 1949 | 8,778 |
| 1948 | 6,795 |
| 1947 | 6,333 |
| 1946 | 4,840 |
| 1945 | 3,331 |
| 1944 | 3,246 |
| 1943 | 3,270 |
| 1942 | 3,241 |
| 1941 | 2,924 |
| 1940 | 2,555 |
| 1939 | 1,796 |
| 1938 | 1,574 |
| 1937 | 1,210 |
| 1936 | 1,200 |
| 1935 | 1,208 |
| 1934 | 1,161 |
| 1933 | 1,072 |
| 1932 | 1,191 |
| 1931 | 1,089 |
| 1930 | 1,114 |
| 1929 | 1,084 |
| 1928 | 1,121 |
| 1927 | 1,260 |
| 1926 | 1,144 |
| 1925 | 1,203 |
| 1924 | 1,358 |
| 1923 | 1,274 |
| 1922 | 1,296 |
| 1921 | 1,272 |
| 1920 | 1,269 |
| 1919 | 1,267 |
| 1918 | 1,243 |
| 1917 | 1,215 |
| 1916 | 1,132 |
| 1915 | 1,169 |
| 1914 | 890 |
| 1913 | 739 |
| 1912 | 754 |
| 1911 | 546 |
| 1910 | 519 |
| 1909 | 470 |
| 1908 | 451 |
| 1907 | 400 |
| 1906 | 397 |
| 1905 | 402 |
| 1904 | 371 |
| 1903 | 334 |
| 1902 | 382 |
| 1901 | 342 |
| 1900 | 503 |
| 1899 | 347 |
| 1898 | 376 |
| 1897 | 376 |
| 1896 | 371 |
| 1895 | 386 |
| 1894 | 399 |
| 1893 | 358 |
| 1892 | 353 |
| 1891 | 320 |
| 1890 | 374 |
| 1889 | 337 |
| 1888 | 337 |
| 1887 | 275 |
| 1886 | 355 |
| 1885 | 302 |
| 1884 | 278 |
| 1883 | 244 |
| 1882 | 259 |
| 1881 | 226 |
| 1880 | 236 |