Jessica vs Rebecca
Jessica 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2008, Jessica was ranked #16 and Rebecca #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2011, Jessica was ranked #22 and Rebecca #85 among girls in New Zealand.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #48 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Jessica was ranked #127 and Rebecca #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #139 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #141 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Jessica was ranked #474 and Rebecca #485 among girls in Norway.
Jessica and Rebecca over time
Jessica and Rebecca appear together in 6 published lists, across 243 years of shared records. Jessica held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rebecca in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Rebecca reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Jessica in none. 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 1984, Jessica moved ahead of Rebecca in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #3 and #1 the year before became #1 and #3.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jessica and Rebecca changed places 19 times in Norway · Girls between 1966 and 2025, ending at #474 and #485.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Jessica and Rebecca averaged 28.6 places apart, ending at #16 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Jessica and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #139 and #413.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Jessica #12 in 1995, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #3 and #8 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #139 and #413.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1966–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rebecca in 40.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #12 in 1995, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #141, Rebecca #141.
Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1966–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Rebecca in 43.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #143 in 2010, Rebecca #55 in 1996.
The order changed in 2022: Jessica moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #440 and #295; by 2022 that had become #379 and #457.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #474, Rebecca #485.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1977–2011
Jessica held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Rebecca in 7.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1990, Rebecca #2 in 1977.
The order changed in 1984: Jessica moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #5 and #2; by 1984 that had become #2 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Jessica #22, Rebecca #85.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1976–2008
Jessica held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Rebecca in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 1984, Rebecca #1 in 1976.
The order changed in 1984: Jessica moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #3 and #1; by 1984 that had become #1 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Jessica #16, Rebecca #94.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Jessica held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Rebecca in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #1 in 2005, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jessica #139, Rebecca #413.
Northern Ireland · Girls28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jessica held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Rebecca in 8.
Highest recorded here: Jessica #4 in 2008, Rebecca #2 in 1999.
The order changed in 2006: Jessica moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #19 and #17; by 2006 that had become #9 and #18.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jessica #127, Rebecca #337.
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 | Jessica | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Coined by William Shakespeare for his 1596 play The Merchant of Venice, where it belongs to Shylock's daughter — likely based on the biblical name Iscah, also spelled Jescha/Jischa in some translations of Shakespeare's time. | 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 | Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ɪ.kə/ | /rəˈbɛkə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #139 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jessica is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via a Shakespearean literary coinage origin, while Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
- Jessica and Rebecca both have 3 syllables.
- Jessica's recorded meaning differs from Rebecca's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Jessica
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #471 among girls in Norway in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in England and Wales, in 2005 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #139 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