Rivkin is a Slavic language-influenced

Jewish surname Jewish surnames are family names used by Jews and those of Jewish origin. Jewish surnames are thought to be of comparatively recent origin; the first known Jewish family names date to the Middle Ages, in the 10th and 11th centuries. Jews have ...

, of

matronymic A matronymic is a personal name or a parental name based on the given name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. Around the world, matronymic surnames are far less common than patrony ...

derivation literally meaning "Rivka's", where ''Rivka'' is the

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

form of the name ''

Rebecca Rebecca () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Rebecca's brother was Laban (Bi ...

''. Other forms include Rifkin (as a recording of a

devoiced Voice or voicing is a term used in phonetics and phonology to characterize speech sounds (usually consonants). Speech sounds can be described as either voiceless (otherwise known as ''unvoiced'') or voiced. The term, however, is used to ref ...

pronunciation) and Ryvkin (from the Russian-language variant Рывкин). Notable people with the surname include:

Rifkin

Adam Rifkin Adam Rifkin (born December 31, 1966), sometimes credited as Rif Coogan, is an American filmmaker and actor. His career ranges from broad family comedies to dark and gritty urban dramas. He is best known for writing family-friendly comedies like ...

, American film director *

Jay Rifkin Jay Rifkin is an American record and film producer. Rifkin co-founded the company Media Ventures with Hans Zimmer, a childhood friend. As CEO of the company from 1988,Jeremy Rifkin Jeremy Rifkin (born January 26, 1945) is an American economic and social theorist, writer, public speaker, political advisor, and activist. Rifkin is the author of 23 books about the influence of scientific and technological changes on the eco ...

, American public policy writer *

Joel Rifkin Joel David Rifkin (born January 20, 1959) is an American serial killer, who was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of 17 women between 1989 and 1993. Early life Rifkin's birth parents were both young college students and his bio ...

, American serial killer *

Joshua Rifkin Joshua Rifkin (born April 22, 1944) is an American conductor, pianist, and musicologist. He is currently a professor of music at Boston University. As a performer, he has recorded music by composers from Antoine Busnois to Silvestre Revueltas; ...

, conductor and musicologist *

Ron Rifkin Ron Rifkin (born Saul M. Rifkin; October 31, 1939) is an American actor best known for his roles as Arvin Sloane on the spy drama '' Alias'', Saul Holden on the drama '' Brothers & Sisters'', and District Attorney Ellis Loew in '' L.A. Confide ...

, American actor and director * Stanley Mark Rifkin, holder of the "biggest computer fraud" in the ''Guinness Book of World Records''

Rivkin

* William R. Rivkin (1919–1967), United States Ambassador to Senegal, the Gambia, and Luxembourg *

Robert S. Rivkin Robert S. Rivkin (born December 6, 1960) is the Chief Legal Officer of United Airlines. Until February 2019, he was Deputy Mayor of the City of Chicago, focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation and retention, and infrastructure. ...

(born 1960), deputy mayor of the City of Chicago and former United States Department of Transportation general counsel * Charles H. Rivkin (born 1962), chief executive officer of the MPAA and former United States ambassador to France * David W. Rivkin (born 1955), litigation partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP * David B. Rivkin (1956–2024), American conservative * Jan W. Rivkin, American academic, professor at the Harvard Business School * Bobby "Z" Rivkin, known as

Bobby Z. Robert B. Rivkin (born January 9, 1956), aka Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, best known as being the drummer for Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1978 to 1986. Life and career Early life Rivkin began his mus ...

, former drummer for Prince *

David Z David Z may refer to: * David Z (producer) David Rivkin (born 1953), professionally known as David Z, is an American music producer, engineer, and songwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is best known for his long-standing work with Prince an ...

(David Rivkin), a music producer *

Neta Rivkin Neta Rivkin (; born June 19, 1991) is a retired Israeli individual rhythmic gymnast. She is one of Israel's most successful rhythmic gymnasts. A three-time Olympian, in 2011 she won the silver medal in clubs at the 2011 European Championships. ...

(born 1991), Israeli rhythmic gymnast *

Rene Rivkin Rene Walter Rivkin (6 June 1944 – 1 May 2005) was an Australian entrepreneur, investor, investment adviser and stockbroker. He was convicted of insider trading in 2003 and sentenced to nine months of periodic detention. Early life Rene Walt ...

(1944–2005), Australian entrepreneur

Ryvkin

*Vladimir Ryvkin (1928–1989), birth name of

Vladimir Sanin Vladimir Markovich Sanin (; 12 December 1928 – 12 March 1983) was a Soviet traveler and writer. He wrote numerous books on his travels, as well as some humorous stories. He devoted most of his work to the Antarctic. Vladimir Sanin was born i ...

, Russian traveler and writer

Rifkin

Rivkin

Ryvkin

See also