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