Rebecca

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See also: Rébecca

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

The Vulgate (Latin) form of biblical Rebekah, from Hebrew רִבְקָה (Rivka, “enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈbɛkə/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛkə

Proper noun

Rebecca (plural Rebeccas)

  1. A female given name from Hebrew, in regular use since the Reformation.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 9:10-12:
      And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
    • 1809 Charles and Mary Lamb, Poetry for Children: Choosing a Name:
      They would say, if 'twas Rebecca,
      That she is a little Quaker.
    • 1949, Henry Miller, Sexus (The Rosy Crucifixion), Grove Press, published 1965, →ISBN, page 312:
      "What's her name?" I asked. "Rebecca. Rebecca Valentine." The name Rebecca excited me. I had always wanted to meet a woman called Rebecca—and not Becky. (Rebecca, Ruth, Roxane, Rosalind, Frederika, Ursula, Sheila, Norma, Guinevere, Leonora, Sabina, Malvina, Solange, Deirdre. What wonderful names women had! Like flowers, stars, constellations…)
    • 1997 Robert T. Tauber, Self-fulfilling Prophecy, Greenwood Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 61:
      Our daughter's name, Rebecca, summons up similar visions. Although our family is not Jewish, both names (David and Rebecca) have a Hebrew ancestry which, in the eyes of many beholders ( i.e. teachers ) invokes a vision of a family that values education.

Usage notes

The spelling Rebecca originates from the Latin Vulgate, which from the 4th century onward was the Bible that was used for centuries in Western Christianity. When the King James Version appeared in 1611, the spelling Rebekah was used in the Old Testament, but the spelling Rebecca was retained in the New Testament.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

Rebecca (plural Rebeccas)

  1. (historical) One who protested in the Rebecca Riots; a Rebeccaite.

Danish

Proper noun

Rebecca

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of the Danish Rebekka

Dutch

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Rebecca, from Hebrew רִבְקָה (rivká).

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Rebecca f

  1. a female given name from Hebrew

French

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Rebecca f

  1. (biblical) Rebekah (Biblical character)
  2. a female given name, equivalent to English Rebecca

German

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Rebecca

  1. a female given name from English [in turn from Biblical Hebrew], variant of Rebekka

Italian

Etymology

From Hebrew רִבְקָה (Riḇqāh, “enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /reˈbek.ka/
  • Rhymes: -ekka
  • Hyphenation: Re‧béc‧ca

Proper noun

Rebecca f

  1. Rebekah (Biblical character)
  2. a female given name of biblical origin

Anagrams

Norwegian

Proper noun

Rebecca

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of Rebekka

Swedish

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Rebecca c (genitive Rebeccas)

  1. a female given name, an English style spelling of Rebecka
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