Rebecca Name Meaning

What Does Rebecca Mean? 

If you’re looking for a timeless name for a baby girl, then Rebecca may be a good choice. Rebecca is a classic name that will never feel dated, even though the name has been in use for many years.

The name Rebecca is of Hebrew origin, meaning “to tie” or “bind.” It derives from the Hebrew name Rivkah, which originates from the verb ribbqah, meaning “join,” “tie,” or “snare.”

The name also has a biblical connection and features in the Old Testament. Rebecca was the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. However, the common spelling in the Bible was Rebekah.

How Popular Is the Name Rebecca?

According to the latest Social Security Administration 2020 data, Rebecca has been a popular name since 1900, ranking at No. 126. It continued to feature in the Top 200 names till 1939, after which the name broke through into the Top 100 names in 1940.

Rebecca continued to feature in the Top 100 names for the next sixty-six years, solidifying the popularity of the name for girls born in the United States. In fact, the most popular years for the name were 1973 and 1974, when Rebecca ranked at No. 10.

In 2007, Rebecca fell in ranks, but only slightly still keeping a spot in the Top 200 at No. 105.

Since then, the name has lost some of its shine and currently ranks at No. 250.

Name Variations

The following are variations of the name Rebecca:

• Rebeca (Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian) 
• Rébecca (French) 
• Rebeccah (English)
• Rebecka (Swedish)
• Rebeckah (English) 
• Rebeka (Czech, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene) 
• Rebekka (Danish, Dutch, Faroese, Finnish, German, Icelandic, Norwegian) 
• Rhebekka (Biblical Greek) 
• Rifka (Yiddish)
• Rivka, Riva (Hebrew) 
• Rivqah (Biblical Hebrew) 

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Rebecca:

• Alysha
• Jessica
• Melissa
• Regina
• Roberta
• Rubeena

Other Hebrew girl names:

• Chaya
• Eliana
• Hannah
• Kayla
• Leah
• Mariah
• Maya
• Naomi
• Sadie
• Sarah

Other girl names starting with R:

• Rachel
• Raquel
• Rayleigh
• Reagan
• Reese
• Ria
• Rina
• Robin
• Rory
• Rosalie
• Rose
• Ruby

Common Nicknames

Common nicknames for Rebecca include:

• Becca
• Becci
• Becka
• Beckah
• Becky
• Bekki
• Reba

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Rebecca? Here are some popular options:

• Abigail
• Benjamin
• Caden
• Clarissa
• Jonathan
• Julia
• Lauren
• Michael
• Ruth
• Samuel

Famous People Named Rebecca

Some notable people who share the name Rebecca are:

• Rebecca De Mornay, American actress and producer known for her role as Debby Huston in the film “The Slugger's Wife.” 
• Rebecca Hall, English actress, producer, writer, and director known for her roles in movies such as “The Town”, “Iron Man 3” and “Godzilla vs Kong.”
• Rebecca Romijn, American actress and former model known for her role in the trilogy of the X-Men film series.
• Rebecca St. James, Australian Grammy-award winner Christian pop-rock singer-songwriter and actress best known for her albums “God and Pray,” and “Christmas.”
• Rebecca Sundström, Swedish actress best known for the portrayal of Elizabeth Woodville in the British television miniseries “The White Queen.” 
• Rebecca West, British author, journalist, literary critic, and travel writer whose major works include “Black Lamb and Grey Falcon,” and “A Train of Powder.” 

Fictional Rebeccas:

• Rebecca "Becky" Conner, character on the American television sitcom “Roseanne.”
• Rebecca "Becky" Donaldson-Katsopolis, a character on the American television sitcom “Full House.”
• Rebecca Bunch, protagonist in the CW series "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”
• Rebecca Dopplemeyer, a character from the Ghost World graphic novel series by Daniel Clowes.
• Rebecca Howe, main female character on the American television sitcom “Cheers.”