Rahab
Rahab was a prostitute from Jericho during the Israelite conquest of Canaan. In the Book of Joshua of the Hebrew Bible, she is credited with aiding the Israelites by hiding two spies who had been sent by Joshua to scout the city before the Israelite assault. Her actions led to the fall of Jericho, during which Israelite fighters killed every Canaanite inhabitant of the city.
- Biblical
Meaning & Origin of Rahab
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rahab was a prostitute from Jericho during the Israelite conquest of Canaan. In the Book of Joshua of the Hebrew Bible, she is credited with aiding the Israelites by hiding two spies who had been sent by Joshua to scout the city before the Israelite assault. Her actions led to the fall of Jericho, during which Israelite fighters killed every Canaanite inhabitant of the city.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Biblical
The Story of Rahab
The earliest SSA record of Rahab as a baby girl name dates back to 2007, when 5 babies received it. 2016 was its biggest year on record, with 8 newborns named Rahab — #11,780 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 70% of all recorded Rahabs. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2020 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 33 Rahabs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rahab
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rahab is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rahab
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About the name Rahab
Rahab is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 33 births in the dataset. Rahab's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #11,780. Use the chart and map above to compare Rahab's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "R" →
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- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.