Rebel
Rebel is a unisex given name. Notable people with the name include:
Meaning & Origin of Rebel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Rebel is a unisex given name. Notable people with the name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Rebel
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Rebel as a girl name dates back to 1912, when 5 babies received it. 2021 was its biggest year on record, with 130 newborns named Rebel — #1,611 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Rebels. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,254 among girl names with 49 births, falling sharply (-39%). In total, more than 2K Rebels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Rebel as a boy name dates back to 1954, when 5 babies received it. 2020 was its biggest year on record, with 58 newborns named Rebel — #2,322 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Rebels. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,774 among boy names with 30 births, falling sharply (-33%). In total, more than 995 Rebels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Rebel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Rebel 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 Rebel
What does the name Rebel mean?
How popular is Rebel in 2026?
When was Rebel most popular?
In which U.S. states is Rebel most popular?
Is Rebel a unisex name?
What names go well with Rebel?
About the name Rebel
Rebel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Rebel's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #1,611. Use the chart and map above to compare Rebel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "R" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.