Nicole vs Rebecca
Nicole 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 2002, Nicole was ranked #94 and Rebecca #44 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2007, Nicole was ranked #100 and Rebecca #64 among girls in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #381 and Rebecca #141 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #407 and Rebecca #337 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #412 and Rebecca #413 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nicole was ranked #638 and Rebecca #431 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2025, Nicole was ranked #448 and Rebecca #485 among girls in Norway.
Nicole and Rebecca over time
Nicole and Rebecca appear together in 6 published lists, across 251 years of shared records. Rebecca held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Nicole in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 3 of those lists, Nicole in 2. 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 1976, Rebecca moved ahead of Nicole in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #2 and #5 the year before became #4 and #1.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Nicole and Rebecca changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1969 and 2007, ending at #100 and #64.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Nicole and Rebecca averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #412 and #413.
- Longest-running competitions
Nicole and Rebecca were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #412 and #413.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Nicole #36 in 1996, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Rebecca in 59.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #15 in 1996, Rebecca #7 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #381, Rebecca #141.
Norway · Girls56 shared years, 1969–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rebecca in 44.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #205 in 2003, Rebecca #55 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #448, Rebecca #485.
New Zealand · Girls39 shared years, 1969–2007
Nicole held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Rebecca in 37.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #5 in 1987, Rebecca #2 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Nicole #100, Rebecca #64.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1966–2002
Nicole held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Rebecca in 27.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #2 in 1975, Rebecca #1 in 1976.
The order changed in 1976: Rebecca moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #2 and #5; by 1976 that had become #4 and #1.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Nicole #94, Rebecca #44.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nicole held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rebecca in 28.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #36 in 1996, Rebecca #8 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nicole #412, Rebecca #413.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2024
Nicole held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rebecca in 27.
Highest recorded here: Nicole #14 in 1998, Rebecca #2 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nicole #407, 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 | Nicole | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The French feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). | 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 | Greek, via French transmission | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka |
| Pronunciation | /nɪ.ˈkoʊl/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Nicole is recorded with a Greek, via French transmission origin, while Rebecca is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka origin.
- Nicole and Rebecca both have 3 syllables.
- Nicole'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
Nicole
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2002
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #412 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