Entry № 2016 · Hebrew origin

Rebecca Rebecca — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ rih-BEK-ah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Hebrew
Meaning
"To bind (Rebecca Hall; Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca)"
Syllables
3
Rank · US 2025
№ 320
First recorded
Ancient (Hebrew)

A name that means "to bind (rebecca hall; daphne du maurier's rebecca)".

Rebecca is the standard English spelling of the Hebrew *Rivkah* ("to bind, ensnare," suggesting something captivating) — the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 24-27. **A top-25 US baby name from 1970 to 1990, peaking at #10 in 1973**. **Daphne du Maurier's *Rebecca* (1938)** — one of the great 20th-century English novels; the title character is the deceased first wife of Maxim de Winter whose memory haunts the new bride at Manderley; Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 film adaptation (with Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier) won Best Picture at the 13th Academy Awards — Hitchcock's only Best Picture winner. **Rebecca Hall (born 1982)** — **British-American actress; *Vicky Cristina Barcelona* (2008), *Christine* (2016), *Resurrection* (2022), *Godzilla vs. Kong* (2021); directorial debut *Passing* (2021) earned three Sundance nominations**. **Rebecca Solnit (born 1961)** — American writer; *Men Explain Things to Me* (2014) is credited with mainstreaming the term "mansplaining." **Rebecca Welton** — Hannah Waddingham's Emmy-winning role on *Ted Lasso* (2020-2023). **Rebecca Black** ("Friday" 2011). **Saint Rebecca of Tsaghkadzor** — Armenian.

Featured throughout English literature.

To bind. Du Maurier's Rebecca (1938) became Hitchcock's only Best Picture Oscar winner (1940).

The name in its native script.

רִבְקָה
Transliteration
Rivkah
Pronunciation
/ rɪˈbɛk.ə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Rebecca stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 320 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 10 in 1973
Babies named Rebecca · last year
950 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · #10 NOW · #320

Rebeccas before her.

Real people
Rebecca Hall
British-American actress.
born 1982
Rebecca Solnit
American writer.
born 1961
In fiction
Rebecca
Du Maurier's Rebecca.
1938
Rebecca Welton
Ted Lasso.
2020

Names connected to Rebecca.

The number behind Rebecca.

6

The Nurturer

Rebecca reduces to six — the number of Manderley.

Why families chose this name.

"Manderley's bind. Seven letters. Rebecca."
Catherine · Mother of one · Cornwall