Namewise

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Nicole

Pairs where Nicole shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Rebecca

Pairs where Rebecca shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Nicole, Rebecca
FieldNicoleRebecca
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe 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.
OriginGreek, via French transmissionBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhebekka
Pronunciation/nɪ.ˈkoʊl//rəˈbɛkə/
Syllables33
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #381 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #141 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2002

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2002).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #412 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Rebecca

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1966–2008

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1966–2008).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #413 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls