Rebecca
Say it: reh-BEK-a/ɹɪˈbɛkə/
Girl7 letters3 syllables
#141
in Ireland (2025)
32
babies in 2025
#7
best rank (1995)
11,293
babies since 1964
Down 79
10-year rank change
Rebecca through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | #141 |
| 2024 | 29 | #157 |
| 2023 | 25 | #185 |
| 2022 | 28 | #174 |
| 2021 | 43 | #124 |
| 2020 | 58 | #95 |
| 2019 | 68 | #85 |
| 2018 | 75 | #82 |
| 2017 | 96 | #65 |
| 2016 | 86 | #75 |
| 2015 | 104 | #62 |
| 2014 | 92 | #74 |
| 2013 | 110 | #65 |
| 2012 | 162 | #44 |
| 2011 | 195 | #40 |
| 2010 | 162 | #48 |
| 2009 | 219 | #35 |
| 2008 | 239 | #31 |
| 2007 | 267 | #25 |
| 2006 | 324 | #19 |
| 2005 | 353 | #15 |
| 2004 | 290 | #21 |
| 2003 | 295 | #17 |
| 2002 | 361 | #14 |
| 2001 | 350 | #14 |
| 2000 | 485 | #7 |
| 1999 | 455 | #8 |
| 1998 | 388 | #9 |
| 1997 | 525 | #7 |
| 1996 | 474 | #8 |
| 1995 | 503 | #7 |
| 1994 | 457 | #8 |
| 1993 | 450 | #9 |
| 1992 | 406 | #11 |
| 1991 | 361 | #15 |
| 1990 | 325 | #17 |
| 1989 | 233 | #22 |
| 1988 | 194 | #30 |
| 1987 | 170 | #40 |
| 1986 | 179 | #44 |
| 1985 | 149 | #50 |
| 1984 | 142 | #59 |
| 1983 | 130 | #66 |
| 1982 | 161 | #57 |
| 1981 | 133 | #68 |
| 1980 | 121 | #74 |
| 1979 | 79 | #100 |
| 1978 | 87 | #90 |
| 1977 | 90 | #93 |
| 1976 | 79 | #106 |
| 1975 | 65 | #115 |
| 1974 | 80 | #109 |
| 1973 | 59 | #132 |
| 1972 | 43 | #150 |
| 1971 | 48 | #139 |
| 1970 | 28 | #172 |
| 1969 | 33 | #164 |
| 1968 | 26 | #173 |
| 1967 | 23 | #168 |
| 1966 | 19 | #182 |
| 1965 | 18 | #186 |
| 1964 | 12 | #215 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Rebecca mean?
Uncertain, often explained as "to bind" or "captivating"
Hebrew, from Rivka, through the Latin Bible.
Say it right
rehBEKa
The story of Rebecca
Rebecca comes from the Hebrew name Rivka. Its meaning is debated. It is often linked to a root meaning “to tie” or “to bind”, and some explain it as “captivating”, while at least one scholar thought it meant “soil”. The spelling Rebecca comes from the Latin Bible, while some English Bibles use Rebekah.
In the Book of Genesis, Rebecca is the wife of Isaac and the mother of the twins Jacob and Esau. English speakers have used the name regularly since the Reformation.
Rebecca was already given in Ireland when the CSO records begin, and it climbed steadily. It reached number 7 in 1995 and stayed near the top into the 2000s. It has become much less common since, with 32 girls in 2025. It was even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 2 in 1999.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Rebecca (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Rebecca (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
BeckyBeccaBex
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Rebecca | 32 | 11,293 |
In Northern Ireland
#231 in 2025 with 7 babies. Best rank #2 (1999); 2,795 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.