| Elizabeth | Rebecca | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | God is my oath | To bind, to join |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ih-LIZ-uh-beth | ruh-BEK-uh |
| Syllables | 4 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1990 (20,750) | 1981 (16,737) |
| In 2025 | 6,760 | 872 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Elizabeth | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 41,893 | 6,113 |
| 2010s | 94,103 | 17,488 |
| 2000s | 133,568 | 43,741 |
| 1990s | 172,693 | 109,721 |
| 1980s | 198,972 | 136,248 |
| 1970s | 142,845 | 137,285 |
| 1960s | 168,920 | 99,462 |
| 1950s | 165,656 | 115,690 |
| 1940s | 116,551 | 45,313 |
| 1930s | 96,480 | 12,615 |
| 1920s | 139,672 | 12,281 |
| 1910s | 116,811 | 9,474 |
| 1900s | 41,708 | 4,052 |
| 1890s | 33,879 | 3,660 |
| 1880s | 25,006 | 2,849 |
Elizabeth is from the Hebrew Elisheva, “God is my oath.” It has been borne by saints and queens across a thousand years.
Rebecca comes from the Hebrew Rivka, of debated meaning — often linked to “to bind” or read as “captivating.” In the Bible she is the wife of Isaac.
Elizabeth is more popular than Rebecca today: about 6,760 US babies were given the name Elizabeth in 2025, compared with 872 named Rebecca.
Elizabeth means God is my oath (Hebrew origin), while Rebecca means To bind, to join (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Elizabeth first appears in 1880 and Rebecca in 1880, so Elizabeth has the longer recorded history.