Rebecca Name Meaning, Origin and Pronunciation

ByNamelyra Editorial Team

Rebecca is a Hebrew-origin girl’s name commonly read as meaning “to bind” or “to tie,” the name of Isaac’s wife and mother of Jacob and Esau in the Book of Genesis.
Meaning to bind, to tie (commonly cited reading)
Origin Hebrew
Pronunciation ree-BEK-uh
Gender Girl
Related forms Becca, Becky (nicknames), Rebekah (alternate spelling)

Origin and history

Rebecca is one of the matriarchs of the Hebrew Bible, wife of Isaac and mother of the twin brothers Jacob and Esau, whose story spans much of the Book of Genesis. The commonly cited “to bind” meaning is generally connected to imagery of binding or captivating beauty, though the exact literal derivation is less firmly settled than some other Biblical names.

Is Rebecca a boy or girl name?

Rebecca is used almost exclusively as a girl’s name.

Nicknames for Rebecca

  • Becca
  • Becky

Names similar to Rebecca

  • Rebekah (the alternate, more directly Biblical spelling)

Frequently asked questions

Is Rebecca the same name as Rebekah?

Yes, they’re the same name with two spellings, Rebekah being the spelling more commonly used in Bible translations and Rebecca being the more common everyday given-name spelling.

Who was Rebecca in the Bible?

The wife of Isaac and mother of the twin brothers Jacob and Esau, one of the four matriarchs of the Hebrew Bible.

Related reading

Related culture pages: Biblical girl names, Hebrew and Jewish names.