It is the name of the biblical figure Rebecca, wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau.

In the Authorized Version of the 1600s, the spelling Rebekah is used in the Old Testament (Genesis) and the Latin "Rebecca" (representing Greek Bible Ῥεβέκκα) was retained in the New Testament (see Romans 9:10).

In the United States, the name was used beginning with the colonization of the Puritans in New England in the 17th century.

In the year 2011, the Social Security Administration ranked Rebecca at 148th in popularity.

In 2009, Rebeca was the 27th most popular name for baby girls in Romania.