Rivkin is a Slavic language-influenced Jewish surname, of matronymic derivation literally meaning "Rivka's", where Rivka is the
Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
form of the name
Rebecca
Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
. Other forms include Rifkin (as a recording of a devoiced pronunciation) and Ryvkin (from the Russian-language variant Рывкин).
Notable people with the surname include:
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, American public policy writer
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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 nine women between 1989 and 1993, though it is believed he had up to 17 victims.
Early life
Rifkin's birth pare ...
, American serial killer
* Joshua Rifkin, 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. Confidentia ...
, American actor and director
* Stanley Mark Rifkin, holder of the "biggest computer fraud" in the ''Guinness Book of World Records''
Rivkin
* William R. Rivkin (born 1919), former United States Ambassador to Senegal, the Gambia, and Luxembourg
* Robert S. Rivkin (born 1960), deputy mayor of the City of Chicago and former United States Department of Transportation general counsel
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Charles H. Rivkin
Charles Hammerman Rivkin (born April 6, 1962) is an American media executive and former United States diplomat who is chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
Rivkin served as Assistant Secretary of Stat ...
(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
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David B. Rivkin
David Boris Rivkin, Jr. (born 1956) is an American attorney, political writer, and conservative media commentator on matters of Constitutional law, constitutional and international law, as well as foreign and defense policy. Rivkin has gained na ...
, American conservative
*
Jan W. Rivkin
Jan W. Rivkin (born c. 1966) is an American academic. He is the Bruce V. Rauner Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He has published research about strategy, competitiveness and income inequality in the United Stat ...
, American academic, professor at the Harvard Business School
* Bobby "Z" Rivkin, known as
Bobby Z.
Robert B. Rivkin (born January 9, 1956), better known by the stage name Bobby Z., is an American musician and record producer, most known as being the original drummer for Prince's backing band The Revolution from 1978 to 1986.
Life and ca ...
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, a ...
(David Rivkin) a music producer
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Neta Rivkin
Neta Rivkin ( he, נטע ריבקין; 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 20 ...
(born 1991), Israeli rhythmic gymnast
*
René Rivkin
Rene Walter Rivkin (6 June 1944 – 1 May 2005) was a Chinese-born Australian entrepreneur, investor, investment adviser, and stockbroker. He was convicted of insider trading in 2003 and sentenced to nine months of periodic detention.
Early l ...
, Australian entrepreneur
Ryvkin
*Vladimir Ryvkin (1928-1989), birth name of Vladimir Sanin, Russian traveler and writer
See also
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Rifkind
Rifkind is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Carole Rifkind (1935–2019), American architectural critic, historian and educator
* Gabrielle Rifkind (born 1953), British psychotherapist and group analyst working in conflict res ...
, a surname and list of people with the name
*
Rivlin Rivlin ( he, ריבלין) is a primarily Jewish family with origins in Austria and Eastern Europe, which became established in early 19th century Palestine (now Israel). There are also branches of the family in several other countries.
The family ...