Fun Facts About the Name Rebel
- More than 2 thousand babies named Rebel: U.S. records list 2,454 babies given the name Rebel from 1880 through 2025. Even 966 boys received the name Rebel - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Rebel Mean?
Rebel is an English word name taken directly from the common noun for a person who resists or fights against authority, and it means "one who rebels" or "insurgent." The noun entered English from Old French rebelle, which comes from Latin rebellis, meaning "rebellious" or "insurgent." Latin rebellis is generally analyzed as re-, "again," plus bellum, "war," giving a literal sense along the lines of "one who wages war again" or "one who renews war." That literal reading is the etymology; the everyday meaning of the word, and of the name, is simply someone who rebels.
Because Rebel is the ordinary noun used as a name, it has no separate ancient personal-name ancestor. It is not a translation of a saint's name or a form of a biblical or Germanic name; an English speaker choosing it is choosing a word whose meaning is immediately clear. It is used for both girls and boys.
The same word also exists as a surname in French- and German-speaking areas - the French Baroque composer Jean-Féry Rebel (1666 - 1747) is one example - but that family-name use is separate from the modern given name.
Rebel Name History & Origins
Rebel belongs to the group of English word names: given names created by adopting an existing vocabulary word rather than inheriting a name from Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or the Germanic naming stock. Names of this kind sit outside the older traditions of saint's names and inherited family names, and Rebel has no long continuous history as a personal name the way names such as John or Alice do.
The word itself has a strong political charge in English, especially in American usage, where "rebel" was applied to those who took up arms against established authority in the Revolutionary War and, later, to Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. Titles that use the word, such as the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause and the 1960s television Western The Rebel, refer to that political and social sense of the word, not to a person named Rebel.
As a given name, Rebel is uncommon. A well-known modern bearer is the Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson, who was born Melanie Elizabeth Bownds in 1980 and uses Rebel professionally; that example shows the name functioning as a chosen or stage name rather than necessarily as a birth name. In fiction, the 2021 American drama series Rebel took its title from its main character, Annie "Rebel" Bello, played by Katey Sagal.
How Popular is the Name Rebel?
Rebel 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 2021. Its best rank was #1,620 in 2021.
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 | #3,204 | 50 | 0.0031% |
| 2024 | #2,679 | 65 | 0.0040% |
| 2023 | #2,812 | 61 | 0.0038% |
| 2022 | #2,598 | 68 | 0.0041% |
| 2021 | #1,620 | 130 | 0.0079% |
| 2020 | #2,001 | 94 | 0.0058% |
| 2019 | #2,187 | 85 | 0.0051% |
| 2018 | #1,894 | 106 | 0.0062% |
| 2017 | #2,503 | 72 | 0.0042% |
| 2016 | #1,967 | 102 | 0.0058% |
| 2015 | #2,252 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 2014 | #2,967 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 2013 | #3,398 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 2012 | #16,429 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #13,109 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #11,065 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #19,571 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #11,423 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #19,857 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #16,669 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #18,542 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #18,186 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #17,506 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #8,866 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1996 | #15,292 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #15,182 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #9,421 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #12,961 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #11,962 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #9,021 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #9,545 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #6,249 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #5,501 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #6,214 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #11,458 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #8,314 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #10,826 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #8,931 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #6,321 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #6,707 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1972 | #5,016 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #4,079 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1970 | #4,701 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #3,292 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1968 | #2,947 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1967 | #1,813 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 1966 | #4,412 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1965 | #6,343 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #2,803 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #4,208 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #3,264 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1961 | #3,956 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1959 | #4,939 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #5,949 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,855 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1954 | #3,906 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #4,165 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #3,660 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1948 | #4,540 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #5,101 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #5,223 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1912 | #3,343 | 5 | 0.0009% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,430 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 2024 | #3,252 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2023 | #3,099 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2022 | #3,261 | 37 | 0.0021% |
| 2021 | #2,430 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 2020 | #2,341 | 58 | 0.0034% |
| 2019 | #2,756 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2018 | #2,350 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 2017 | #2,589 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 2016 | #2,759 | 44 | 0.0023% |
| 2015 | #2,710 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 2014 | #2,570 | 48 | 0.0025% |
| 2013 | #2,325 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 2012 | #5,438 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2011 | #4,945 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #4,485 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #4,711 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #4,858 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2007 | #5,626 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #7,875 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #9,900 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #11,037 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #6,623 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #9,168 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #10,266 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #7,715 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #9,013 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,771 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,646 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #6,839 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #9,846 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #6,562 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #7,057 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #3,681 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #4,758 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #5,624 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #6,149 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #7,069 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,071 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #4,470 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #4,326 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #4,676 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #4,339 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #3,465 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #4,608 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #4,487 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #2,507 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #2,639 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #3,297 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #3,587 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #3,464 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #4,251 | 5 | 0.0002% |
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 Rebel 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 have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Rebel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rebel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.