Angela vs Rebecca
Angela and Rebeccacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1998, Angela was ranked #88 and Rebecca #12 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2003, Angela was ranked #79 and Rebecca #63 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Angela was ranked #391 and Rebecca #91 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Angela was ranked #608 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Angela was ranked #1229 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2022, Angela was ranked #437 and Rebecca #457 among girls in Norway.
Angela and Rebecca over time
Angela and Rebecca appear together in 6 published lists, across 223 years of shared records. Rebecca held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Angela in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Angela reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Rebecca in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1970, Rebecca moved ahead of Angela in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #24 and #41 the year before became #31 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Angela and Rebecca changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1955 and 2022, ending at #437 and #457.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Angela and Rebecca averaged 33.9 places apart, ending at #79 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Angela and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1229 and #413.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Angela #382 in 1996, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Angela held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rebecca in 45.
Highest recorded here: Angela #21 in 1965, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order changed in 1981: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #72 and #74; by 1981 that had become #80 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #608, Rebecca #141.
Norway · Girls51 shared years, 1955–2022
Angela held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rebecca in 38.
Highest recorded here: Angela #248 in 1978, Rebecca #67 in 1993.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Angela #437, Rebecca #457.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1966–2003
Angela held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rebecca in 34.
Highest recorded here: Angela #13 in 1974, Rebecca #1 in 1976.
The order changed in 1970: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #24 and #41; by 1970 that had become #31 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Angela #79, Rebecca #63.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rebecca in 30.
Highest recorded here: Angela #382 in 1996, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Angela #1229, Rebecca #413.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1966–1998
Angela held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rebecca in 17.
Highest recorded here: Angela #3 in 1975, Rebecca #2 in 1977.
The order changed in 1977: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #3 and #5; by 1977 that had become #3 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Angela #88, Rebecca #12.
Northern Ireland · Girls14 shared years, 1997–2023
Angela held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rebecca in 14.
Highest recorded here: Angela #248 in 2000, Rebecca #3 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Angela #391, Rebecca #91.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Angela | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Traditionally associated with concepts of 'joining', 'tying', or a 'team/yoke' — a binding or connecting sense, from a Semitic root about fastening things together. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /rəˈbɛkə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Rebecca has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka); Angela does not have one recorded yet.
- Angela and Rebecca both have 3 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rebecca; Angela doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Angela
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #362 among girls in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1229 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Rebecca
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #440 among girls in Norway in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1966–2008
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls