The meaning of the name “Rachel” is different in several languages, countries and cultures and has more than one possibly same or different meanings available.
Additional information: The name is taken from the Hebrew name Rachel meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament the name is adorned by the favorite wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The name was common among Jews in the middle ages, but it was not popularly used as a Christian name in the English-speaking countries until after the Protestant Reformation.
The most popular people with the name are: film actress Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz, children author Rachel Renee Russell, pop singer Rachel Crow, news anchor Rachel Maddow, artist Rachel Whiteread and many more. Rachel Green was a character on the TV sitcom 'Friends'.
The year when the name Rachel was most popular is 2000. For 2014, the number of births with name Rachel represented 0.106 percent of total female births in U.S. The name ranks in the top hundred trending names for girls in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia as well as in Israel.
Rachel appears as a 12 year old girl in the Neighborhood's Urban Legend: ‘The Night Heaven Cried’. She also features as the central character as an investigative reporter in ‘The Ring’.
Unique spellings of the name are Rachell, Rachael, Racheal, Rachaiel. Other variants of the name are Rachelle, Rachyl, Raschelle in English, Ruchel in Yiddish, and Rahel in Biblical Latin.
Popular nicknames are Rae, Raelene, Raelyn for Rachel.
Other counterparts for the name are: Rakel in Danish, Raakel in Finnish, Ráhel in Hungarian, Ráichéal in Irish, Rachele in Italian, Rakel as Norwegian, Raquel in Portuguese, Rahela as Romanian, Rahela as Serbian, Raquel as Spanish, and Rakel in Swedish.
Pronunciation: (RAY chul) Form of: Itself (Rachel)
Considering Rachel as a Baby Name?
The first thing you should know if you are considering Rachel for your baby's name is that in most countries all over the world the name Rachel is a girl name.
The name Rachel is of Hebrew origin, and is used mostly in English speaking countries but also in a few other countries and languages of the world.
If you consider naming your baby Rachel we recommend you take note of the special meaning and history of the name as your baby’s name will play a big role in its life and your baby will hear it spoken every day. Searching for a name is a very important and fun process as it’s the very first gift you will give to your baby. Many people believe that the name can affect success in life, through their children's working career and other circumstances, so they choose more “respectable” names or name meanings as they believe that the name meaning reflects the personality of the child.
Rachel Name Meaning
The meaning of Rachel has more than one different etymologies. It has same or different meanings in other countries and languages. The different meanings of the name Rachel are:
American meaning: Innocence of a lamb
German meaning: Innocence of a lamb
Hebrew meaning: Innocence of a lamb
Keep in mind that many names may have different meanings in other countries and languages, so be careful that the name that you choose doesn’t mean something bad or unpleasant. Search comprehensively and find the name meaning of Rachel and its name origin or of any other name in our database. Also note the spelling and the pronunciation of the name Rachel and check the initials of the name with your last name to discover how it looks and sounds. The history and meaning of the name Rachel is fascinating, learn more about it. (If you know more meanings of the name and you would like to contribute click here to submit another name meaning).
Hey! Ever wanted a gift that’s truly one-of-a-kind? Check out these personalized name gifts to make every special moment unforgettable—oh, and did I mention? It’s FREE to see yours today! (Sponsored Link)
Name Rachel Categories
The name Rachel is in the following categories: American Names, Biblical Names, Canadian Names, Christian Names, English Names, French Names, German Names, Hebrew Names, Movie Star Names, Twilight Names. (If you would like to suggest one or more categories for the name, click here). We have plenty of different baby name categories to search for special meanings plus popular and unique names, search our database before choosing but also note that baby name categories designed to help you and not to be an influential factor when choosing a name. Instead, we recommend that you pay a greater attention to the origin and meaning of the name Rachel. Read our baby name articles for useful tips regarding baby names and naming your baby. If you are thinking of giving your baby the beautiful name Rachel, spread the love and share this with your friends.
Popularity of the Name Rachel
Below you will find the popularity of the baby name Rachel displayed annually, from 1880 to the present day in our name popularity chart. Hover over or click on the dots that represent a year to see how many babies were given the name for that year, for both genders, if available.
Rachel Boy Name Popularity Chart
Rachel Girl Name Popularity Chart
Note:The data above is from the Social Security Administrator of United States, (more info here) from Social Security card applications for births in US for every name, from 1880 up to the present year. The gender associated with the name might be incorrect, as the data presents the record applications without being edited for errors. The name's popularity and ranking is announced annually, so the data for this year will not be available until next year. The more babies that are given a name, the higher popularity ranking the name receives. For names with the same popularity, the tie is solved by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. This means that if two or more names have the same popularity their rankings may differ significantly, as they are set in alphabetical order. If a name has less than five occurrences, the SSA excludes it from the provided data to protect privacy.
If you’re not sure yet, see our wide selection of both boy names and girl names all over the world to find the ideal name for your new born baby. We offer a comprehensive and meaningful list of popular names and cool names along with the name's origin, meaning, pronunciation, popularity and additional information.
Hey! Ready to see your name turned into a stunning work of art? Discover Personalized Name Meaning Prints and watch your name come to life in beautiful designs — grab yours now, it's FREE to preview!(Sponsored Link)
Do your research and choose a name wisely, kindly and selflessly.
Our research is continuous so that we can deliver a high quality service; our lists are reviewed by our name experts regularly but if you think the information on this page is incorrect or incomplete, please let us know. Use our contact form to submit your suggestions, or leave your comment below.
Rachel Knight
June 27, 2020 @ 1:41 am
Rachel was also a “Shepardess” in the Bible