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ArchivesRe: Rabea
in reply to a message by Perrine
I think I have found the trigger for the German popularity of the name Rabea in the late 1970ies:
It is Rabea Hartmann, assistant to TV host Wim Thoelke in the TV show Drei mal Neun (ZDF) aired from 1970 bis 1974. She was also assistant to Uri Geller in 1974.
I don't have information how she got her given name.
--elbowin
P.S I discard the theory that it is a variant of Rebecca—I have never heard of similar sounding variants of Rebecca before, and Rebecca became only popular in Germany in the late 1960ies.
It is Rabea Hartmann, assistant to TV host Wim Thoelke in the TV show Drei mal Neun (ZDF) aired from 1970 bis 1974. She was also assistant to Uri Geller in 1974.
I don't have information how she got her given name.
--elbowin
P.S I discard the theory that it is a variant of Rebecca—I have never heard of similar sounding variants of Rebecca before, and Rebecca became only popular in Germany in the late 1960ies.
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Replies
It was used, but still rare. It was also used by German Jews. But I never encountered a form of Rebecca that was only slightly similar to Rabea. The most common German forms (Besides spelling variations like Rebecka or Rebekka) are Becki, Beke, Beeke etc., the main Yiddish variants are Rivka or Rifka.
One needs to explain the vowel "a" in the first syllable (in German it is distinct from "e" and not just a spelling variant), and the addition of the final -a to an already feminine name.
--elbowin
One needs to explain the vowel "a" in the first syllable (in German it is distinct from "e" and not just a spelling variant), and the addition of the final -a to an already feminine name.
--elbowin
2