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HelpRachel or Rebecca? (more)
If you had to choose between these two (no changing of spellings) which one would you choose and why? Rachel or Rebecca?
I always kind of put these two in the same category. Biblical names that start with an R and were both very common but seem a bit out of style now.
Which impressions do you get from Rachel and Rebecca? Very different ones?
I always kind of put these two in the same category. Biblical names that start with an R and were both very common but seem a bit out of style now.
Which impressions do you get from Rachel and Rebecca? Very different ones?
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Replies
I like both of them. I'd choose Rachel because it's a family name, and I like the stories of the family Rachels, who were both skilled craftswomen.
I know a lot of Rachels and several Rebeccas / Rebecas. They're all toodifferent for me to have a 'Rachel impression' and a 'Rebecca impression', but the Rebeccas are various ages & all the Rachels are over 25, and the Rebeccas are all white and the Rachels aren't.
I know a lot of Rachels and several Rebeccas / Rebecas. They're all toodifferent for me to have a 'Rachel impression' and a 'Rebecca impression', but the Rebeccas are various ages & all the Rachels are over 25, and the Rebeccas are all white and the Rachels aren't.
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I have very different impressions of Rachel and Rebecca although both are fairly down to earth.
The Rachel's I've known have all been feisty speak their mind ladies or sarcastic wise-asses like my favorite cousin. Rachel has a sexy spunky edge like Veronica and Zoe while Rebecca is one of the least sexy names I can think of. Rebecca is cute in a plain way with a face full of freckles, light to medium brown hair, and blue, brown or hazel eyes.
Rebecca's I've known are book nerds who passionately pursue their educational passions and one popular girl I didn't know very well who seemed nice.
A less common nn for Rebecca could be Bebe. Becky, Becca, and Reba are other more common nn's.
Rebecca nn Becky or Becca always seemed like the name I'd use in a historical fiction piece for a frontier girl, that's the image I have of Rebecca. The popular Rebecca I knew was best friends with a girl named Charlotte who was the first one I ever met. After that I always thought that Charlotte or Caroline would be a good sibling for a Rebecca. Sarah, Abigail, Laura, or Elizabeth would also work well as a sibling. My frontier protagonist would have a pet cow or lamb and would love reading books sitting in fields full of flowers or under trees near brooks.
As far as which I would choose I am not certain, I prefer the image I have of Rachel but prefer the sound of Rebecca. I guess by default Rebecca since my cousin is named Rachel so I wouldn't use her name as a fn only possibly a mn.
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The Rachel's I've known have all been feisty speak their mind ladies or sarcastic wise-asses like my favorite cousin. Rachel has a sexy spunky edge like Veronica and Zoe while Rebecca is one of the least sexy names I can think of. Rebecca is cute in a plain way with a face full of freckles, light to medium brown hair, and blue, brown or hazel eyes.
Rebecca's I've known are book nerds who passionately pursue their educational passions and one popular girl I didn't know very well who seemed nice.
A less common nn for Rebecca could be Bebe. Becky, Becca, and Reba are other more common nn's.
Rebecca nn Becky or Becca always seemed like the name I'd use in a historical fiction piece for a frontier girl, that's the image I have of Rebecca. The popular Rebecca I knew was best friends with a girl named Charlotte who was the first one I ever met. After that I always thought that Charlotte or Caroline would be a good sibling for a Rebecca. Sarah, Abigail, Laura, or Elizabeth would also work well as a sibling. My frontier protagonist would have a pet cow or lamb and would love reading books sitting in fields full of flowers or under trees near brooks.
As far as which I would choose I am not certain, I prefer the image I have of Rachel but prefer the sound of Rebecca. I guess by default Rebecca since my cousin is named Rachel so I wouldn't use her name as a fn only possibly a mn.
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This message was edited 3/30/2017, 2:53 PM
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I've fallen in love with Rebecca recently. I love the nn Becca. The image I get from Rebecca is a very sweet, caring and wholesome one -- Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, anyone? I could picture myself using Rebecca as a mn.
I've never really cared for Rachel due to its harsh sound. The Raych sound is really grating to me. I even prefer Raquel to Rachel. My impression: intelligent, quirky, artistic, upper middle class.
Overall, Rebecca feels a tad less dated to me although Becky feels quite dated.
I've never really cared for Rachel due to its harsh sound. The Raych sound is really grating to me. I even prefer Raquel to Rachel. My impression: intelligent, quirky, artistic, upper middle class.
Overall, Rebecca feels a tad less dated to me although Becky feels quite dated.
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Rebecca
I like both, though! I can totally see the similarities, with the Biblical origin and both starting with R. I guess I'd go with Rebecca because it doesn't have the Ray nickname I don't like on Rachel, and I love Becca.
I picture a Rachel as tall and thin with red hair, and Rebecca is shorter and chunkier with highlighted blond hair. Both have the same bubbly personality. Actually, come to think of it, Rachel and Rebecca would make a nice twinset, if you like matchy names.
I like both, though! I can totally see the similarities, with the Biblical origin and both starting with R. I guess I'd go with Rebecca because it doesn't have the Ray nickname I don't like on Rachel, and I love Becca.
I picture a Rachel as tall and thin with red hair, and Rebecca is shorter and chunkier with highlighted blond hair. Both have the same bubbly personality. Actually, come to think of it, Rachel and Rebecca would make a nice twinset, if you like matchy names.
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I prefer Rebecca.
I've known so many Rachels, and a lot of them have been either nice and likable or at least unoffensive. However, some of them, and not a small percentage, have been absolutely horrid. I associate Rachel with judgmental, mean, dogmatic people because of this. In addition to this, I'm not too into the sound. Plus, I group it in with Sarah, Hannah, and Matthew, all of which bore me to tears.
Rebecca is elegant, classic, and it has a pretty sound. The fact that basic white girls are now referred to as "Beckys" has slightly put me off, but I don't like Becky, Becca, or Reba anyway.
I remember hearing of someone, when I was like 8 years old, named Rebecca Susan, and it like full body struck me as the loveliest combo and I was so jealous it wasn't my name. I was a really early name nerd.
I've known so many Rachels, and a lot of them have been either nice and likable or at least unoffensive. However, some of them, and not a small percentage, have been absolutely horrid. I associate Rachel with judgmental, mean, dogmatic people because of this. In addition to this, I'm not too into the sound. Plus, I group it in with Sarah, Hannah, and Matthew, all of which bore me to tears.
Rebecca is elegant, classic, and it has a pretty sound. The fact that basic white girls are now referred to as "Beckys" has slightly put me off, but I don't like Becky, Becca, or Reba anyway.
I remember hearing of someone, when I was like 8 years old, named Rebecca Susan, and it like full body struck me as the loveliest combo and I was so jealous it wasn't my name. I was a really early name nerd.
This message was edited 3/30/2017, 2:19 AM
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I get exactly your impression, but I always extend the list and include Ruth!
I'd go for Rebecca. Names ending in -l can be tricky to pronounce in sentences or lists, and I'm not at all fond of Ray, which is the only possible nn for Rachel as far as I can tell. Becky is all right, and I like the rhythm and the look of Rebecca. It seems more colourful somehow, and Rachel seems lightish grey.
I'd go for Rebecca. Names ending in -l can be tricky to pronounce in sentences or lists, and I'm not at all fond of Ray, which is the only possible nn for Rachel as far as I can tell. Becky is all right, and I like the rhythm and the look of Rebecca. It seems more colourful somehow, and Rachel seems lightish grey.
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Rachel.
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Probably Rachel, if I were choosing for myself or my daughter.
I think Rebecca is a more attractive name to read, and has a spiffier, more idealized mental image associated. But spoken aloud, and applied to real people, it's not really more attractive or spiffier. It's nice, but it's also prissier and more brittle compared to Rachel.
Rachel is more familiar to me, and seems friendlier, it's easier for me to picture it suiting almost any woman or girl of any age in any role - Rebecca seems particular, in comparison.
I think Rebecca is a more attractive name to read, and has a spiffier, more idealized mental image associated. But spoken aloud, and applied to real people, it's not really more attractive or spiffier. It's nice, but it's also prissier and more brittle compared to Rachel.
Rachel is more familiar to me, and seems friendlier, it's easier for me to picture it suiting almost any woman or girl of any age in any role - Rebecca seems particular, in comparison.
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Rebecca. I like the rhythm of it. It seems sporty plus reminds me vaguely of Ivanhoe and Alfred Hitchcock movies.
My impression of Rachel isn't negative, just much less distinct.
Comparing the impression I get from each to other biblical names...
Rebecca seems more like: Isaac, Gabriel, Benjamin, Eve, Bethany, Susanna.
Rachel seems more like: Joshua, Nathan, Matthew, Mary, Leah, Hannah.
My impression of Rachel isn't negative, just much less distinct.
Comparing the impression I get from each to other biblical names...
Rebecca seems more like: Isaac, Gabriel, Benjamin, Eve, Bethany, Susanna.
Rachel seems more like: Joshua, Nathan, Matthew, Mary, Leah, Hannah.
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Rebecca
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Easy, Rebecca
I far prefer Rebecca. No contest.
Rebecca has always been one of my favorite names. And yes, I even like Becky, BtNers! I can certainly see the affinity between them that you refer to, but I like Rebecca much more than Rachel. It just comes down to sound. The "Rach" part of Rachel is quite harsh. I don't dislike Rachel, but I don't love it either, and you could say I love Rebecca. However, its popularity at the time I was having children put it out of contention, although it took my husband a while to realize that. He was still saying Rebecca was a possibility when I was pregnant with our daughter, when I'd already made my mind up that it wasn't.
Rebecca makes me think of a pretty dark-haired farm girl in a blue gingham dress, who is voluptuous but innocent. Rachel makes me think of a woman in her thirties who has long light brown hair and a prematurely faded beauty.
I far prefer Rebecca. No contest.
Rebecca has always been one of my favorite names. And yes, I even like Becky, BtNers! I can certainly see the affinity between them that you refer to, but I like Rebecca much more than Rachel. It just comes down to sound. The "Rach" part of Rachel is quite harsh. I don't dislike Rachel, but I don't love it either, and you could say I love Rebecca. However, its popularity at the time I was having children put it out of contention, although it took my husband a while to realize that. He was still saying Rebecca was a possibility when I was pregnant with our daughter, when I'd already made my mind up that it wasn't.
Rebecca makes me think of a pretty dark-haired farm girl in a blue gingham dress, who is voluptuous but innocent. Rachel makes me think of a woman in her thirties who has long light brown hair and a prematurely faded beauty.
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Hi !!!
I would choose Rebecca.
Both are not my style but Rebecca is more familiar to me.
After that seens more elegant than Rachel.
I dislike the variant Rachel (pronounced in English).
I prefer it with the variant Rachele (rah-KEH-leh) the Italian one.
These are very similar yes.
I often confuse them.
But Rebecca is more clean and aristocratic.
I would choose it.
Also Rachel (pronounced in Hebrew) is ok.
I would choose Rebecca.
Both are not my style but Rebecca is more familiar to me.
After that seens more elegant than Rachel.
I dislike the variant Rachel (pronounced in English).
I prefer it with the variant Rachele (rah-KEH-leh) the Italian one.
These are very similar yes.
I often confuse them.
But Rebecca is more clean and aristocratic.
I would choose it.
Also Rachel (pronounced in Hebrew) is ok.
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