How to say it
re · BEC · ca
rəˈbɛk.ə
Feminine
Rebecca
To bind, to join
What it means
From the Hebrew Rivka, traditionally read as 'to bind' or 'to tie,' suggesting a faithful bond.
Rebecca comes from the Hebrew Rivka, usually read as 'to bind' or 'to join,' an image of devotion. In Genesis she is the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau, one of the great matriarchs. Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca lent it a darker, gothic glamour. A steady classic across centuries, it shortens warmly to Becca, Becky, and Bex. Rebekah is the spelling closer to the Hebrew.
How to spell Rebecca
The standard spelling is Rebecca. Common variants include Rebekah, Rebeca, Rivka, but Rebecca is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #10 in 1973, currently #350 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Becca, Becky, and Bex all come from it.
- Spelling
Rebecca and Rebekah are the same name; Rebekah hews to the Hebrew.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Rebecca wife of Isaac and a matriarch of Genesis
- Rebecca the title presence of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel
Spelling variants
- Rebekah
- Rebeca
- Rivka
Names with the same feeling
See Rebecca from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Rebecca mean?
- From the Hebrew Rivka, traditionally read as 'to bind' or 'to tie,' suggesting a faithful bond.
- What does Rebecca mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Rebecca means "To bind, to join." Rebecca comes from the Hebrew Rivka, usually read as 'to bind' or 'to join,' an image of devotion. In Genesis she is the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau, one of the great matriarchs. Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca lent it a darker, gothic glamour. A steady classic across centuries, it shortens warmly to Becca, Becky, and Bex. Rebekah is the spelling closer to the Hebrew.
- How do you pronounce Rebecca?
- Rebecca is pronounced rəˈbɛk.ə. Say it as re-BEC-ca, with the stress on the "bec" syllable.
- How do you spell Rebecca?
- The standard spelling is Rebecca. Common spelling variants include Rebekah, Rebeca, Rivka.
- Is Rebecca a boy or girl name?
- Rebecca is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Rebecca?
- Rebecca ranked #350 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.