| Rachel | Rebecca | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Ewe | To bind, to join |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | RAY-chul | ruh-BEK-uh |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1985 (16,360) | 1981 (16,737) |
| In 2025 | 1,225 | 872 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Rachel | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,580 | 6,113 |
| 2010s | 21,076 | 17,488 |
| 2000s | 68,401 | 43,741 |
| 1990s | 149,167 | 109,721 |
| 1980s | 146,675 | 136,248 |
| 1970s | 77,749 | 137,285 |
| 1960s | 26,795 | 99,462 |
| 1950s | 16,775 | 115,690 |
| 1940s | 13,409 | 45,313 |
| 1930s | 12,268 | 12,615 |
| 1920s | 14,199 | 12,281 |
| 1910s | 10,482 | 9,474 |
| 1900s | 3,974 | 4,052 |
| 1890s | 3,279 | 3,660 |
| 1880s | 2,128 | 2,849 |
Rachel is Hebrew for “ewe,” a female sheep taken as a symbol of gentleness. In the Bible she is the beloved wife of Jacob and a matriarch of Israel.
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.
Rachel is more popular than Rebecca today: about 1,225 US babies were given the name Rachel in 2025, compared with 872 named Rebecca.
Rachel means Ewe (Hebrew origin), while Rebecca means To bind, to join (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Rachel first appears in 1880 and Rebecca in 1880, so Rachel has the longer recorded history.