Declining since 2000, #10,917 for girls today.
Popularity of Rifka since 1952
Babies named Rifka per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 32 |
| 1960s | 29 |
| 1970s | 95 |
| 1980s | 123 |
| 1990s | 125 |
| 2000s | 132 |
| 2010s | 136 |
| 2020s | 64 |
Meaning & origin
Rifka is a Yiddish form of Rebecca, a biblical name meaning 'to bind.' First recorded in U.S. data in 1952, it saw its peak in 2001 and has been declining since. In 2025, it ranked 10,917 with a rarity of 1 in 200,908 newborns. The name was never concentrated in any single state, reflecting its spread through Jewish communities across the country. Its falling trajectory since 2000 suggests it remains a culturally valued but steadily less common choice, prized by families who favor Yiddish heritage over more Anglicized alternatives.
Rifka is a Yiddish form of the Hebrew name Rivka, derived from the root meaning "to tie" or "to bind." It entered Ashkenazi Jewish communities through the biblical figure Rebecca, wife of Isaac. The spelling Rifka became common in Eastern Europe and was carried to the United States by Jewish immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
“Rifka” around the world
Where Rifka lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rifky, Ricki, Riva
Sibling names for Rifka
Names that share Rifka's style, for a brother or sister.
