Baby girl name Rivka

amother

↑ Yolk

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 12:03 pm

amother cornflower wrote:

My mother never heard it based on a gadol, but she hates the name Rivka and we (her daughters) all hate that name too.

She knew two Rivkys that were "strong" I.e. stubborn, selfish, narcissistic and just plain horrible people. They were part of her extended family (but not related by blood - married into) and I knew them too, so I agree. We absolutely hate that name.

Do I know lots of nice Rivkas and Rivkys? Of course.

But having known two horrible Rivkys, it's literally one of the last names I would want to name my child.

The irony, of course, is that my husband's recently deceased grandmother was named Rivka, so it may happen anyway...

(BTW I also heard "Chaya" is a bad name to give... mostly from this website.)

Oh my! What about all the poor Chaya Rivka’s? They are really doomed.

pinkpeonies

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 1:01 pm

Yes every name comes with a midda.
And every midda has a strength and a weakness, two sides of the same coin
Rivka imeinu was incredibly strong!!!!
At the age of three years old, she separated herself completely from her fathers house of avoda zara. She didn’t listen to her older brother. She just said “eileich”, I will go and marry this tzaddik. She knew emes, she knew what she wanted, and she removed herself from an impure environment. This in a time where women and children were told what to do, they did not make these decisions for themselves
She married the most pure person to ever live. Yitchak was completely separated from the physical world (very unlike avraham and yakov), and she was an eishes chayil to him.
And talk about stubborn! She literally was born without a womb but she stormed the heavens until Hashem gave her a child.
She was a strong enough mother to raise two giants! Two fathers of nations!
Oh and don’t forget her defining attribute, her midda of chessed. The love and pity she had on strangers and animals, let alone her own family.
How about her cleverness? She was able to figure out a way to get yaakov the bracha (which she knew he should get with her ruach hakodesh) without telling her tzaddik of a husband what to do.
Wow!! To have the strengths embedded in the name rivka is an honor!! A privilege!
Anyone who thinks that a midda is negative has no concept of what a midda is. A midda is just a measurement. How you use it is what defines you

amother

Dandelion

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 1:46 pm

Amother yolk, you're too absolute. You forget that environment plays a role in personality as it plays a role in everything, and environment can sometimes completely reverse a genetic prediction. Included in environment is the nonsense that people love to spout here and elsewhere.

amother

Brown

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 1:55 pm

I'm a Rivka and I would def consider my personality strong LOL

My grandmother says that I remind her of my namesake- her mother in law- who was also extremely strong person and a big do-er. She helped so many people.
I'd like to consider my strength a pro...

amother

Heather

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 2:14 pm

My baby is Rivka. Ever since she was born I've been saying she is a fighter. She fights to get her way no matter what. A trip to the dr is a nightmare. Naptime and nights are a disaster. She turns me into a shmatte.
But she is the sweetest cutest yummiest kid. I feel a deep love for her more than I remember having for my older ones. From the moment she was born and I laid eyes on her my heart overflowed.

amother

Blue

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 2:35 pm

amother Heather wrote:

I have one like that.
Her name is Tehilla LOL

↑ Ema of 5 ↓

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 3:10 pm

amother Phlox wrote:

She was strong in what many people believe is a bad way for a woman, but it's a good thing really.

I have never heard that having a strong personality was one of her flaws. In fact, the opposite- we always learned that what she did for Yaakov was a good thing. I have never ever heard anyone say anything negative.

↑ Ema of 5 ↓

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 3:13 pm

HonesttoGod wrote:

Yup I’ve heard about it and I personally know several rivkas who are all like that.
But if you like the name I wouldn’t avoid it because of that reason. All the rivkas I know are all beautiful special fun kind people.

Can you please explain? What does “strong in not a good way” mean?

↑ Ema of 5

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 3:18 pm

amother OP wrote:

Actually someone I’m very close to and respect told me this. She was so strong about her opinion she liked scared me. She claims it’s coming from reputable gedolim.

So ask her to name them so you can talk to them yourself.

amother

Glitter

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 4:25 pm

I've noticed that Rivkas tend to be particularly kind and sensitive to other people's feelings and needs. This makes perfect sense to me, since that that is an essential quality of Rivka Imainu.

I initially found your question about Rivkas being hardheaded very strange, but as I think about it, I think I can see some truth in it. Specifically, it's not that Rivkas are hardheaded - rather, it's that they think for themselves, and they cling to their inner reality and their own understanding of truth, even if other people tell them otherwise. They seem to have an inner clarity that they can hold onto even if the people around them say otherwise.

I see this with my own daughter Rivka. I'm remembering this now about a Rivka in the Holocaust book To Vanquish The Dragon, who on several occasions spoke up for the truth when no one else would. And I think this is rooted in Rivka Imainu, who was able to remain "a rose among thorns" among her birth family, and who, at a very young age, autonomously made the decision to go with Eliezer so she can marry Yitzchak.

So, I wouldn't say that Rivkas are "hardheaded." But I could see how family members that want to steer them in a different direction could feel this way. I may be wrong, but that's how I see it right now.

Thanks for bringing up this question. It's given me some more insight into Rivkas.

amother

Chicory

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 5:00 pm

amother Cognac wrote:

I have a rivka and she’s the most easygoing happiest nature of all my kids

Are you my mother???? Lol
I’m Rivka and very happy go lucky, easy going nature bH. It’s a huge bracha and I like all Rivka/Rivky’s I meet

amother

Honeydew ↓

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 10:03 pm

amother OP wrote:

I heard from someone to stay away from name since all Rivkas are very strong people not in a positive way. Did anyone ever hear this concept before about the name Rivka?

???? This is one of the silliest things I’ve heard.

My daughter is named rivka and she is known by many as a big Baalas chessed. I am regularly told by others in the community what an extremely kind, giving , calm and capable person she is. She has always been that way, from the time she was young.
I have a niece named rivka (they are not named for the same person ) who is likewise a giving , wonderful person , a real baalas chessed.

amother

↑ Honeydew

Thu, Nov 16 2023, 10:08 pm

amother Firethorn wrote:

I never heard of it but now that I’m thinking of the Rivkas I know they are all ambitious go getters. Very kind. Givers more than takers. Chesed like the original Rivka. I wouldn’t be afraid of this beautiful name according to the ones I know with them.

Wow that sound so much like my daughter rivka - makes me wonder if you know her ! Very Happy

amother

↑ DarkMagenta

Fri, Nov 17 2023, 4:25 am

amother Chicory wrote:

Are you my mother???? Lol
I’m Rivka and very happy go lucky, easy going nature bH. It’s a huge bracha and I like all Rivka/Rivky’s I meet

I think she’s my mother because this is what my mother will say about me Smile

(although at other times she says I’m too stubborn 😂)

amother

↑ Seashell

Fri, Nov 17 2023, 8:13 am

I love it when people say "ALL the Rivkas/Chayas/Dinas, etc..I know are all ______ so it must be it has to do with the name." Um like even if you know 100 people with that name there are still thousands more people who you don't know. Do you think your circle is a sample of the Jewish world?

Same like when I hear people say "It's totally girl season now! Everyone is having baby girls" Everyone YOU know. I know different people and they are having boys.