Rebecca

Meaning & origin

Rebecca is a Hebrew name with deep biblical roots, most famously borne by the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament. While it has always maintained a presence in the United States, its popularity peaked in 1974, the same year it reached its highest recorded usage. Since 1985, the name has been on a general downward trajectory, and as of 2025 it holds rank 349, given to approximately 1 in 1,843 newborn girls. Despite this decline, it remains a recognizable and well-used name. In recent data, the top states for Rebecca are New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska, suggesting pockets of continued favor. The name entered the national record in 1880, the first year the Social Security Administration began tracking names, confirming its longstanding presence in American culture.

Rebecca is the English form of the Hebrew name Rivqah, which appears in the Old Testament as the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau. The original Hebrew meaning is uncertain, but it is often linked to a root meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie firmly', possibly implying a woman who ensnares with her beauty. The name came into English through the Latin Rebecca and Greek Rhebekka. It has been in steady use among English speakers since the Protestant Reformation, when Old Testament names became widely adopted, and has been consistently common in the United States since at least the 19th century.