Rebecca: Meaning, Popularity, Origin of Baby Name Rebecca | Girls

Rebecca

Pronunciation: rə-BEH-kə (key)

Origin of the name Rebecca:

From the Ecclesiastic Late Latin and Ecclesiastic Greek Rhebekka, which is derived from the Hebrew ribbqāh (noose), from rabak (to bind, to tie). The name, borne in the Bible by the wife of Isaac, was not used in England until after the Reformation in the 16th century.

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman. Buy the book

Related Names:

Rebeca, Rebekah, Rebekka, Rivka, Becky

NameVoyager

US Popularity of Rebecca Over Time

Sister & Brother Names

Know a Rebecca? What are her siblings named?

Contribute your knowledge to the name Rebecca

Comments and insights on the name Rebecca: | Edit

My name is Rebecca, and I've never been too fond of it. It's beautiful written out, but I hate saying it aloud. "ruh-bec-uh". To make matters worse, someone with synesthesia once told me that when they hear the name "Rebecca" the sensation they get is that of the texture of sliced ham. However, I like the versatility it has- my family/friends shorten it to Becca or Bec but dear god Becky is the most heinous name in the universe. I have a lot of issues with people calling me "Rachel" after meeting me once or twice, which is deeply annoying.

Personal experiences with the name Rebecca: | Edit

I am a Rebecca and I have always loved my name and all of its abbreviations. OK, I'm biased, but I don't think you can wrong with this name.

I didn't like being called "Becky" when I was younger, but I did make the successful transition to Rebecca when I went to high school. I also like that the name is very recognizable when traveling internationally (much more so than Rachel, for example). But I often get called Rachel by mistake.

I am Rebecca my middle name is jayne. I do not like being called becky at all! My mother calls be bec, and some people even call me reb. ( hate that name) I do love my name though. I don't know any other rebeccas. People I do not know or just met call me rachel all the time. Some people call me allyson, because that is my older sisters name. In the seventh grade I asked people to call me ray-bekah (rébecca) and to this day, some people still do.

My name is also Rebecca Jane! My mother nixed anyone calling me "Becky" (only my grandmother could call me Becky Jane) right from the beginning and I was always Becca as a kid. I'm 20 now and I get much less Becca and more Bec and Bex. I had two other Rebecca's in my class in middle school and they went by Becca and Reb or Rebby (still sounds silly...).

My name is Rebecca, and since I'm in high school, I go by my last name, Becka, Bee, Reby, and mulitple others. I hate being called Becky and Bex. Drives me insane! But I'm a basketball and soccer player, so my teammates call me BeeBallR or beeoccer, and I don't mind those at all!!

Nicknames for Rebecca: | Edit

Becca/Bekah
Bec/Beck/Bek/Bex,
Beckett,
Beckster,
Bez, Biz
Becky/Beckie,
Reba, Reby/Rebbie,
Rebec,
Reva,
Revy,
Revi,
Rivka/Rivkah,
Rivy,
Bunny,
Boo,
Bee,
Ray,
Buckey,
Reebok,
Bexley,
Reebuttsca/Reebutty,
Beckerino the Great,
Becteria,
Betsey, Bettye, Bette, Betts
Daisy,
Rebecca Lee,
Becky Boo/Becca Boo,
Becky Loo,
Libby/Libbie,
Bibby/Bebby,
Ribbit,
Becy,
Reebok shoes *My friend calls me this hehe.
Bee,
Bekkles/Rebekkles,
Boo Berry,
SweetB/SweetPea

Interesting Fact, my mother once bought me a light pink candle, the scent was called SweetBerry BeccaBoo, smelled like a kiwi-strawberry starburst to me. :)

Meanings and history of the name Rebecca: | Edit

Derives from Hebrew word 'ribhqeh.'
The meaning of the name Rebecca is:
- Snare
- Captivating
- Peacemaker

HISTORY of the SPELLING: "REBECCA"
The ancient Latin Vulgate (from the 4th Century A.D.) was the version of the Bible used within the church for centuries. The Latin Vulgate uses the spelling "REBECCA" exclusively. Centuries later, when the Bible was translated into English in the 1600s (King James Version), the spelling "Rebekah" was used for the Old Testament, while the spelling "Rebecca" was used in the New Testament-(see Romans 9:10). So, the older Biblical spelling is "Rebecca," but both spellings are in the original English Bible. Here is a link to view the online Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, alongside the English translation. The page shows the spelling "Rebecca" in Genesis 49:31. http://www.latinvulgate.com/verse.aspx?t=0&b=1&c=49

Famous real-life people named Rebecca: | Edit

Rebecca Romijn, American actress and model
Rebecca Sophia Clarke, American children's author
Rebecca De Mornay, American actress
Rebecca Black, American YouTube sensation
Rebecca Miller, American film director
Rebecca Gayheart, American actress
Rebecca Stead, author of Newbery-winning "When You Reach Me"

Rebecca in song, story & screen: | Edit

Rebbeca Black, signer of 'Friday' on YouTube
Rebecca "Becky" Conner (played by Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke), the eldest daughter on the American television sitcom Roseanne
Rebecca "Becky" Donaldson-Katsopolis (played by Lori Loughlin), a character on the American television sitcom Full House
Rebecca Dopplemeyer, a character in Daniel Clowes's Ghost World graphic novels and the 2001 film adaptation (in which she was played by Scarlett Johansson)
Rebecca Howe (played by Kirstie Alley), the female lead on the American television sitcom Cheers
Rebecca Randall, the title character in the 1903 children's story Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, the 1938 film adaptation, which featured Shirley Temple as Rebecca, and the 1917 which had Mary Pickford as Rebecca.
Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher, young Tom Sawyer's love interest in Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Rebecca, the 1938 suspense novel by Daphne du Maurier and the 1940 film adaptation directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Rebecca "Becky" Bloomwood of the Shopaholic Series.
Rebecca Logan the spoiled and backstabbing Senator's daughter of the TV Show Greek

No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
No Way
Definitely
81
No Way
Definitely

Smart?

72
No Way
Definitely

Sexy?

77
No Way
Definitely

Friendly?

72
No Way
Definitely

Creative?

75
No Way
Definitely

Strong?

66
No Way
Definitely

Young?

75
No Way
Definitely

Sophisticated?

NameMapper

Current Popularity of Rebecca by State

Global Popularity of the Name Rebecca

  • #17 in Scotland
  • #19 in Ireland
  • #25 in Italy
  • #41 in Denmark
  • #46 in England
  • #57 in Canada (Alberta)
  • #75 in Canada (British Columbia)
  • #95 in Canada (Quebec)
  • #102 in Australia (New South Wales)
  • #119 in United States
  • #164 in Norway