Rachel
Say it: RAY-chel/ˈɹeɪ.tʃəl/
GirlMeans ewe6 letters2 syllables
#186
in Ireland (2025)
#189 with spellings combined
24
babies in 2025
#6
best rank (1997)
14,435
babies since 1964
Down 146
10-year rank change
Rachel through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | #189 |
| 2024 | 24 | #190 |
| 2023 | 32 | #150 |
| 2022 | 36 | #147 |
| 2021 | 44 | #122 |
| 2020 | 45 | #117 |
| 2019 | 59 | #97 |
| 2018 | 57 | #107 |
| 2017 | 67 | #86 |
| 2016 | 87 | #74 |
| 2015 | 140 | #43 |
| 2014 | 127 | #53 |
| 2013 | 153 | #43 |
| 2012 | 169 | #40 |
| 2011 | 196 | #39 |
| 2010 | 247 | #29 |
| 2009 | 247 | #29 |
| 2008 | 263 | #27 |
| 2007 | 323 | #19 |
| 2006 | 355 | #17 |
| 2005 | 381 | #12 |
| 2004 | 342 | #14 |
| 2003 | 431 | #7 |
| 2002 | 364 | #13 |
| 2001 | 400 | #11 |
| 2000 | 428 | #11 |
| 1999 | 488 | #7 |
| 1998 | 444 | #7 |
| 1997 | 543 | #6 |
| 1996 | 397 | #12 |
| 1995 | 359 | #13 |
| 1994 | 357 | #10 |
| 1993 | 402 | #10 |
| 1992 | 437 | #9 |
| 1991 | 425 | #9 |
| 1990 | 391 | #13 |
| 1989 | 325 | #17 |
| 1988 | 346 | #15 |
| 1987 | 342 | #17 |
| 1986 | 327 | #21 |
| 1985 | 306 | #22 |
| 1984 | 299 | #22 |
| 1983 | 289 | #26 |
| 1982 | 230 | #40 |
| 1981 | 229 | #39 |
| 1980 | 201 | #49 |
| 1979 | 187 | #49 |
| 1978 | 181 | #53 |
| 1977 | 166 | #54 |
| 1976 | 214 | #40 |
| 1975 | 210 | #42 |
| 1974 | 186 | #46 |
| 1973 | 182 | #49 |
| 1972 | 200 | #43 |
| 1971 | 200 | #43 |
| 1970 | 189 | #41 |
| 1969 | 118 | #63 |
| 1968 | 75 | #92 |
| 1967 | 56 | #109 |
| 1966 | 44 | #123 |
| 1965 | 31 | #144 |
| 1964 | 18 | #180 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Rachel mean?
Ewe
Hebrew, from Rachel, a word for a ewe, through Greek and Latin.
Say it right
RAYchel
The story of Rachel
Rachel comes from a Hebrew word for a ewe, a female sheep. It reached English through Greek and Latin versions of the Bible, which is why the spelling and the sound don’t quite line up.
In the Book of Genesis, Rachel is the younger daughter of Laban and the second wife of Jacob. Her older sister Leah was Jacob’s first wife, and both names are still given today.
Rachel was given all through the CSO records and grew steadily more popular. It was a top-ten name in the 1990s, reaching number 6 in 1997. Since then it has faded gently, and 24 girls were named Rachel in 2025. It had a similar run in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 7 in 2003.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Rachel (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Rachel (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
Rach
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel | 24 | 14,435 |
In Northern Ireland
#290 in 2025 with 5 babies. Best rank #7 (2003); 2,436 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.