Fun Facts About the Name Rahab
- 42 babies named Rahab: U.S. records list 42 babies given the name Rahab from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Rahab Mean?
Rahab is a Hebrew name meaning "broad" or "wide." It comes from the biblical Hebrew root רָחַב (raḥav), "to be wide, broad, spacious," which also appears in verb and noun forms in the Hebrew Bible. The woman named in the Book of Joshua is spelled רָחָב in the Hebrew text.
The same English spelling also stands for a differently pointed Hebrew word, רַהַב, used in biblical poetry for the sea monster or chaos figure defeated by God (Job 26:12; Psalm 89:10; Isaiah 51:9). That word is often connected with a root having to do with raging or arrogance - compare Isaiah 30:7, where Egypt is called "Rahab who sits still" - though some interpreters link it to the same "broad" root. Because English translations use one spelling for both, the two are not always kept apart.
Rahab Name History & Origins
Rahab is the Canaanite woman of Jericho who hides the Israelite spies, helps them escape, and is spared with her household when the city falls (Joshua 2; 6:17 - 25). The Hebrew text calls her a זוֹנָה (zonah), usually translated "harlot" or "prostitute," and that story is the source of her name's associations in Jewish and Christian tradition.
The New Testament keeps her memory. Matthew 1:5 lists Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus; Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 praise her faith and her deeds. Early Christian writers treated her as a model of faith, and the scarlet cord she hung from her window (Joshua 2:18) was read as a sign of redemption through Christ's blood - an interpretation found as early as 1 Clement. Jewish tradition also expanded her story: the Talmud relates that she became a proselyte and married Joshua.
The name passed into Greek as Ῥαάβ in the Septuagint and in the New Testament, and into Latin as Rahab in the Vulgate. English Bibles generally use Rahab, though the King James Version prints "Rachab" in Matthew 1:5, showing an older transliteration. As a personal name in English, Rahab is rare; it is met mainly in Bible reading and in references to the two biblical figures that share the spelling.
How Popular is the Name Rahab?
Rahab has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #10,724 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,724 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #16,975 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #17,858 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #12,624 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #18,600 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #18,667 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #19,832 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Rahab Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Rahab's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rahab's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.