Rebecca is a name of Hebrew origin and it means "to bind together" or "united". It has a rich history dating back to the Bible where Rebecca was the wife of Isaac, one of the patriarchs of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The name Rebecca gained popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages as a result of the influence of biblical stories. In England, it became particularly popular during the 19th century. Today, it is still widely used around the world and has several variants such as Rebekah, Rebeca, Rebecka, and others.
One interesting aspect about the name Rebecca is that it has been associated with many notable figures throughout history. For instance, Queen Rebecca of Assyria was a legendary figure who ruled in the 9th century BC. In more recent times, there have been several famous people named Rebecca including Rebecca West, a British journalist and novelist, and Rebecca Horn, a German artist.
In literature, the name Rebecca has been used by many authors including Charlotte Brontë in her novel "Jane Eyre" and Daphne du Maurier in her classic gothic novel "Rebecca". These works have helped to further popularize the name and add to its cultural significance.
The name Rebbeca has had varying popularity over the years in the United States. According to the statistics provided, there were several periods where the name was quite common, while other periods saw a significant decrease in its usage.
In the early to mid-20th century, the name Rebbeca was born to around 5-7 babies per year from 1916 to 1948. However, starting from 1951, there was a notable increase in the number of births with this name, reaching a peak of 21 births in 1960.
This trend continued through the late 1960s and early 1970s, with the highest number of Rebbeca births occurring in 1974 at 30 babies. The popularity of the name remained relatively high throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, with an average of around 20-30 births per year.
However, starting from the mid-1980s, there was a noticeable decrease in the number of Rebbeca births. The highest number of births after this point occurred in 1989 with 28 babies, and the trend continued to decline throughout the 1990s, reaching as low as 6 births in some years.
In the 21st century, the name Rebbeca has continued to be used but at a much lower rate than its peak in the mid-20th century. The total number of babies named Rebbeca in the United States from 1916 to 2009 is 928.
These statistics show that while Rebbeca was once a popular name, it has since declined in usage over time. However, it is still being used today, indicating that there continues to be some appeal for this name among parents in the United States.