Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Rebecca

The name Rebecca is borne from the Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. As such, she is a prominent matriarchal figure in the future tribes of Israel and thus a favorite name among Jewish people (like Sarah and Rachel). The etymology of the name is debated. The Hebrew name “Rivka” possibly means ‘to snare, bind, trap’ but is also said to mean ‘captivating’ (we like this meaning best). Some etymologists believe the name is of Aramaic origin (an ancestral language of Arabic) meaning ‘soil, earth.’ In Genesis, Abraham does not want Isaac to marry a local Canaanite woman so he sends his servant to find a wife in his own ancestral land of Haran in upper Mesopotamia. The servant is skeptical at the prospect of success, doubtful that a woman will follow him back to Canaan, but Abraham assures him God will assist in this endeavor but if the woman does not follow the servant back of her own accord, then Abraham absolves him of all responsibility. Upon arrival in the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia, the servant beholds Rebekah: “The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known.” [Genesis 24:16]. Rebecca graciously offers the servant water for himself and his camels, thus fulfilling his prayer to the Lord indicating that she must be the one. After negotiations with her family and the offering of gifts, it comes down to Rebecca’s decision to follow the servant back to Canaan to marry Isaac. Her words are simple: “I will go.” So she’s not exactly ‘snared and trapped’ as one of the etymological origins might suggest; quite the contrary. The name’s other possible meaning (i.e., ‘captivating’) makes more sense for this beautiful, compassionate and kind young maiden. Given the name’s Biblical origins in the Old Testament, it’s always been a common Jewish name; however, it’s been used by Christians in the English speaking world since the 14th century. The name’s popularity grew during the Reformation and the Puritans picked it up in the 17th century and would eventually bring the name to America.

All About the Baby Name – Rebecca

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME REBECCA

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME REBECCA

Rebecca has been an American staple since the time of the colonies. The name has held high positions on the U.S. popularity graphs since the government began tracking naming trends back in 1880. If there’s ever a moderate downturn for the name, it came in the teens and 20s in the early part of the 20th century. In 1940, Rebecca hits the Top 100 list of most favored girls’ names, and it’s been a Top 50 favorite for fifty long years. The 1970s showed the highest usage of the name Rebecca during which time it averaged as the 15th most popular girl’s name in America. The name maintained a Top 25 ranking pretty much through the 80s and 90s, but by the turn of the 21st century, the name starts to show signs of decline. In 2007, Rebecca falls off the Top 100 list for the first time in almost 70 years. This is a name that defies fashionable trends, so we expect to see it bounce back eventually. With its Biblical roots, its classic sound, and its timeless endurance, Rebecca is a risk-free choice. We think this name is just as captivating as the girl who owns it.

Quick Facts

ON REBECCA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

178

PRONUNCIATION:

rә-BEHK-ah

SIMPLE MEANING:

Captivating

Characteristics

OF REBECCA

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Rebecca

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME REBECCA

Rebecca de Winter is the unseen but very much felt protagonist of Daphne du Maurier’s popular novel of 1938, made into an equally popular movie in 1942. The unnamed, timid and unsophisticated main character marries Max de Winter after the death of his first wife, Rebecca. When she accompanies him to his country estate, Manderley, she finds Rebecca to be ever-present in the household, and especially, in the memories and adulation of the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. Rebecca was beautiful, she was accomplished, she was bold, she was everything the second Mrs. De Winter is not. Fearing that she can never live up to her predecessor, and terrified of losing her husband’s love, she makes mistake after mistake, with the wicked help of Mrs. Danvers. But as time goes by, she begins to suspect all was not as it seemed. In a thrilling denouement, we are exposed to the awful truth of who Rebecca really was, and what really happened to her.

Rebecca is the beautiful Jewish healer in Sir Walter Scott’s 1819 historical fiction, Ivanhoe, the daughter of Isaac, the moneylender. She is pursued by many men, but stands firm in her virtue and goodness. When Ivanhoe is wounded in a jousting tournament, she bravely ignores the injunctions against Christians and Jews mixing, and nurses him back to health, falling in love with him at the same time. Knowing that her love can never be returned, she bears this affront calmly. Ivanhoe returns the favor by rescuing her later as she is about to be burned at the stake for witchcraft. Fiercely proud of her heritage, she has spurned an offer of clemency in exchange for converting to Christianity. Ultimately she and her father leave England for a Muslim land, knowing that understanding and respect will not come to them in their lifetimes. She remains single, a proud and valiant heroine of her people.

Rebecca is Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in the Kate Douglas Wiggins’ childrens’ classic of 1903. It was also made into a popular 1938 movie starring – you guessed it – Shirley Temple. Rebecca is an irrepressible 10 year old girl from an impoverished family who goes to live with her two paternal aunts at the beginning of the novel, and a lovely and still high spirited, young woman at the end. In between she alternately charms and exasperates her aunts and the townspeople, makes new friends, and matures into a generous human being. It is a lovely look at a more innocent time, but lest you think it too saccharine, remember that two giants of American literature, Jack London and Mark Twain, were among the first to welcome and praise this heroine.

Becky is the main character in the British author Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic Series, started in 2000, and also made into a popular American movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic in 2009, starring Isla Fisher. Although Becky is a financial advice journalist, she doesn’t follow any money rules herself, with terrifying and hilarious results. The series focuses on the mishaps into which her shopping addictions lead her. Chick lit it may be, but it’s very popular – Becky even has a fan club!

Max is the husband in Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier’s extremely popular 1938 novel. It was later made into an equally popular Hitchcock film, with Laurence Olivier, in 1940. Max is a handsome, rich and sophisticated English landowner and widower, who marries the second Mrs. De Winter after a whirlwind courtship in Europe. She arrives at her new estate with her new husband only to find herself the object of scorn and contempt from Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who revered the late Rebecca, the first Mrs. De Winter. Max harbors secrets he does not divulge to our young heroine, who becomes increasingly distressed and depressed over her inability to live up to the glorious reputation of the first Mrs. Max. All of this has dire consequences, naturally, and the family skeletons are finally revealed just short of absolute disaster for all. Great fun, of its time, and even in today’s feminist world, one might just find the brooding Max de Winter as fascinating as did his meek little bride.

For more literary references on Rebekah, go to the Rebecca name page (a more commonly used character spelling than Rebekah)

Maximilian is the husband in Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier’s extremely popular 1938 novel. It was later made into an equally popular Hitchcock film, with Laurence Olivier, in 1940. Max is a handsome, rich and sophisticated English landowner and widower, who marries the second Mrs. De Winter after a whirlwind courtship in Europe. She arrives at her new estate with her new husband only to find herself the object of scorn and contempt from Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who revered the late Rebecca, the first Mrs. De Winter. Max harbors secrets he does not divulge to our young heroine, who becomes increasingly distressed and depressed over her inability to live up to the glorious reputation of the first Mrs. Max. All of this has dire consequences, naturally, and the family skeletons are finally revealed just short of absolute disaster for all. Great fun, of its time, and even in today’s feminist world, one might just find the brooding Max de Winter as fascinating as did his meek little bride.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME REBECCA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Rebecca


Popular Songs

ON REBECCA

Jenny Rebecca
a song by Olivia Newton-John

Rebecca
a song by Hazel O'Connor

Rebecca Deville
a song by Mason Jennings

Rebecca Lynn
a song by Bryan White

Rebecca Wild
a song by The Walkabouts

Romeo & Rebecca
a song by Blink 182

Famous People

NAMED REBECCA

Rebecca De Mornay (actress)
Rebecca Jarvis (journalist)
Rebecca Romijn (model/actress)
Rebecca Schaeffer (actress), Rebecca Gayheart (actress)
Rebecca De Mornay (actress)
Rebecca Jarvis (journalist)
Rebecca Romijn (model/actress)
Rebecca Schaeffer (actress), Rebecca Gayheart (actress)
Rebecca De Mornay (actress)
Rebecca Jarvis (journalist)
Rebecca Romijn (model/actress)
Rebecca Schaeffer (actress), Rebecca Gayheart (actress)

Children of Famous People

NAMED REBECCA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Rebecca

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME REBECCA

Rebecca figures importantly in the Bible and in fact shows up very early on in the book of Genesis. She is from the ancestral lands of Abraham and thus related to him as his grand-niece. She is also the sister of Laban, who will eventually become the father of Leah and Rachel (wives of Jacob). In the Bible, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac in Mesopotamia (his homeland); he does not want Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman given their proclivity for idolatry. The servant is doubtful that a maiden will travel so far (from Mesopotamia to Canaan) to fulfill Abraham’s wishes, but he goes dutifully. Upon reaching the ancestral lands, he prays that God will give him a sign – which ever woman offers him and his camels water from her well will be the one. Before he is even done with his prayer, the servant immediately sees the beautiful Rebecca. She kindly offers this leathery old stranger water from her well, and so he knows she is the one. Returning to her household, and equipped with offerings of gifts, the servant asks to bring the maiden back to Canaan to marry Isaac. The family resists, wanting to keep the girl longer, but agree to ask Rebecca to decide. Women didn’t have much of a voice back then; Rebecca can be considered a feminist symbol for her free-will and independent-mind. “I will go.” She says. She returns to Canaan and upon seeing Isaac quickly covers her face with a veil, so impressed is she by his spiritual aura. After Isaac and Rebecca marry, it takes her 20 long years to conceive a child (now in ancient times, this would be serious torture for a woman like Rebecca). Both Isaac and Rebecca pray mightily for offspring, and finally she conceives twins. She feels them unsettled in her womb; worried, she goes to God. She is told that “the older will serve the younger” and that “one people will be stronger than the other.” We know now that this prophesy would be fulfilled. Her son Esau was born first and Jacob came out of her womb immediately after “holding the heel” of his brother. As Rebecca’s favorite, she would go onto help Jacob steal Esau’s birthright and blessing. She intuitively knows that Esau is simply not responsible or holy enough to receive the blessing himself. Rebecca devises a plan whereby Jacob – in the guise of Esau – will bring Isaac his goat meat as he lay blind and close to death. After his meal, Isaac will give his blessing to Jacob (unwittingly) and not Esau. Jacob immediately sees a flaw in his mother’s plan. You see, Esau is hairy and Jacob is smooth-skinned. Not to worry, Mama Rebecca had that one figured out, too. She takes the hairy skin of the goat and wraps it around Jacob. When he goes to his father, Isaac will feel the hair and know it’s Esau. Everything goes as planned, and Jacob receives the blessing. Of course, Esau arrives moments later to see this deception and furiously vows to kill Jacob, so Rebecca sends Jacob off to live with her brother Laban (this is how Leah and Rachel come into the picture). She would eventually die an old woman and never see the eventual reconciliation of her sons. Nonetheless, Rebecca is one of the more colorful women in the Bible – a matriarch, a free-thinker, a proactive go-getter – and if this isn’t enough, she’s beautiful, spiritual, compassionate and caring.

Rebecca figures importantly in the Bible and in fact shows up very early on in the book of Genesis. She is from the ancestral lands of Abraham and thus related to him as his grand-niece. She is also the sister of Laban, who will eventually become the father of Leah and Rachel (wives of Jacob). In the Bible, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac in Mesopotamia (his homeland); he does not want Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman given their proclivity for idolatry. The servant is doubtful that a maiden will travel so far (from Mesopotamia to Canaan) to fulfill Abraham’s wishes, but he goes dutifully. Upon reaching the ancestral lands, he prays that God will give him a sign – which ever woman offers him and his camels water from her well will be the one. Before he is even done with his prayer, the servant immediately sees the beautiful Rebecca. She kindly offers this leathery old stranger water from her well, and so he knows she is the one. Returning to her household, and equipped with offerings of gifts, the servant asks to bring the maiden back to Canaan to marry Isaac. The family resists, wanting to keep the girl longer, but agree to ask Rebecca to decide. Women didn’t have much of a voice back then; Rebecca can be considered a feminist symbol for her free-will and independent-mind. “I will go.” She says. She returns to Canaan and upon seeing Isaac quickly covers her face with a veil, so impressed is she by his spiritual aura. After Isaac and Rebecca marry, it takes her 20 long years to conceive a child (now in ancient times, this would be serious torture for a woman like Rebecca). Both Isaac and Rebecca pray mightily for offspring, and finally she conceives twins. She feels them unsettled in her womb; worried, she goes to God. She is told that “the older will serve the younger” and that “one people will be stronger than the other.” We know now that this prophesy would be fulfilled. Her son Esau was born first and Jacob came out of her womb immediately after “holding the heel” of his brother. As Rebecca’s favorite, she would go onto help Jacob steal Esau’s birthright and blessing. She intuitively knows that Esau is simply not responsible or holy enough to receive the blessing himself. Rebecca devises a plan whereby Jacob – in the guise of Esau – will bring Isaac his goat meat as he lay blind and close to death. After his meal, Isaac will give his blessing to Jacob (unwittingly) and not Esau. Jacob immediately sees a flaw in his mother’s plan. You see, Esau is hairy and Jacob is smooth-skinned. Not to worry, Mama Rebecca had that one figured out, too. She takes the hairy skin of the goat and wraps it around Jacob. When he goes to his father, Isaac will feel the hair and know it’s Esau. Everything goes as planned, and Jacob receives the blessing. Of course, Esau arrives moments later to see this deception and furiously vows to kill Jacob, so Rebecca sends Jacob off to live with her brother Laban (this is how Leah and Rachel come into the picture). She would eventually die an old woman and never see the eventual reconciliation of her sons. Nonetheless, Rebecca is one of the more colorful women in the Bible – a matriarch, a free-thinker, a proactive go-getter – and if this isn’t enough, she’s beautiful, spiritual, compassionate and caring.

Rebecca figures importantly in the Bible and in fact shows up very early on in the book of Genesis. She is from the ancestral lands of Abraham and thus related to him as his grand-niece. She is also the sister of Laban, who will eventually become the father of Leah and Rachel (wives of Jacob). In the Bible, Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac in Mesopotamia (his homeland); he does not want Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman given their proclivity for idolatry. The servant is doubtful that a maiden will travel so far (from Mesopotamia to Canaan) to fulfill Abraham’s wishes, but he goes dutifully. Upon reaching the ancestral lands, he prays that God will give him a sign – which ever woman offers him and his camels water from her well will be the one. Before he is even done with his prayer, the servant immediately sees the beautiful Rebecca. She kindly offers this leathery old stranger water from her well, and so he knows she is the one. Returning to her household, and equipped with offerings of gifts, the servant asks to bring the maiden back to Canaan to marry Isaac. The family resists, wanting to keep the girl longer, but agree to ask Rebecca to decide. Women didn’t have much of a voice back then; Rebecca can be considered a feminist symbol for her free-will and independent-mind. “I will go.” She says. She returns to Canaan and upon seeing Isaac quickly covers her face with a veil, so impressed is she by his spiritual aura. After Isaac and Rebecca marry, it takes her 20 long years to conceive a child (now in ancient times, this would be serious torture for a woman like Rebecca). Both Isaac and Rebecca pray mightily for offspring, and finally she conceives twins. She feels them unsettled in her womb; worried, she goes to God. She is told that “the older will serve the younger” and that “one people will be stronger than the other.” We know now that this prophesy would be fulfilled. Her son Esau was born first and Jacob came out of her womb immediately after “holding the heel” of his brother. As Rebecca’s favorite, she would go onto help Jacob steal Esau’s birthright and blessing. She intuitively knows that Esau is simply not responsible or holy enough to receive the blessing himself. Rebecca devises a plan whereby Jacob – in the guise of Esau – will bring Isaac his goat meat as he lay blind and close to death. After his meal, Isaac will give his blessing to Jacob (unwittingly) and not Esau. Jacob immediately sees a flaw in his mother’s plan. You see, Esau is hairy and Jacob is smooth-skinned. Not to worry, Mama Rebecca had that one figured out, too. She takes the hairy skin of the goat and wraps it around Jacob. When he goes to his father, Isaac will feel the hair and know it’s Esau. Everything goes as planned, and Jacob receives the blessing. Of course, Esau arrives moments later to see this deception and furiously vows to kill Jacob, so Rebecca sends Jacob off to live with her brother Laban (this is how Leah and Rachel come into the picture). She would eventually die an old woman and never see the eventual reconciliation of her sons. Nonetheless, Rebecca is one of the more colorful women in the Bible – a matriarch, a free-thinker, a proactive go-getter – and if this isn’t enough, she’s beautiful, spiritual, compassionate and caring.