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