The name Rachel brings to mind many modern references—especially Jennifer Aniston's iconic character Rachel from the popular 1990s TV series Friends. While that character probably had a great influence on the popularity of the name, it has much older origins.
In fact, the name Rachel has a long history. In the Bible, Rachel was the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. They became leaders of two of the 12 tribes of Israel.
The name Rachel is of Hebrew origin and is derived from the Hebrew wordrāchēl, meaning "ewe" or female sheep.
Read on to learn about the name Rachel, its popularity, variations, and famous people with the name.
- Origin: Rachel is a Hebrew name meaning "ewe."
- Gender: Rachel is commonly used as a girl name.
- Pronunciation: ra-chel
Editor's Note
Although many baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.
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How Popular Is the Name Rachel?
According to the Social Security Administration, the name Rachel has been popular for over 100 years. In 1900, it entered the top 200 girl baby names at 153. Since then, it has been in the top 250. In 1968, it pushed through into the top 100 at 92.
Between the mid-1980s and throughout the 1990s, the name maintained a position in the top 20 and reached its peak popularity in 1996, when it was number 9.
In the last twenty years, though, the name has mostly fallen in rank. It was still featured in the top 200 names until 2019. In 2024, the name ranked at 247, on the rise again in popularity.
Top 1,000 Baby Girl Names in the U.S. for 2025
Name Variations
The following are the variations of the name Rachel:
- Raakel (Finnish)
- Rachael (English)
- Racheal (English)
- Rachele (Italian)
- Rachelle (French)
- Rahel (Biblical Latin)
- Ráhel (Hungarian)
- Rahela (Croatian)
- Rahela (Romanian, Serbian)
- Ráichéal (Irish)
- Rakel (Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish)
- Raquel (Portuguese, Spanish)
- Raschelle (English)
- Rhachel (Biblical Greek)
- Richelle (English)
- Rochel (Yiddish)
Similar Names
Names that sound similar to Rachel include:
- Raechel
- Raichel
- Richelle
- Rosella
- Roshelle
Other Hebrew names:
- Aaren
- Abigale
- Anna
- Anya
- Ariel
- Bethany
- Eliora
- Esther
- Eve
- Gayle
- Iva
- Joyce
- Leah
- Maria
- Miriam
- Naomi
- Rebecca
- Rinna
- Sarah
- Tahlia
Other names starting with R:
- Raegan
- Raelynn
- Rain
- Rhea
- Rina
- Robin
- Rory
- Rosalie
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Roxanne
- Ruby
- Ruth
Common Nicknames
Common nicknames for Rachel include:
- Rach
- Rachie
- Rae
- Rai
- Ray
- Raya
- Raylie
200+ Nicknames that are Almost As Cute As Your Baby
Suggested Sibling Names for Rachel
Looking for a sibling name for Rachel? Here are some popular options:
- Annabel
- Bryce
- Daniel
- Elijah
- Elsa
- Gabriel
- Hank
- Jessica
- Lynn
- Luke
- Olivia
- Samantha
- Sienna
- Tessa
- Valerie
- Zachary
Famous People Named Rachel
Some notable people who share the name Rachel include:
- Rachel Bilson, an American actor
- Rachel Carson, an American environmentalist, activist, marine biologist, and author
- Rachel Maddow, a Grammy-award-winning American political commentator and television news program host
- Rachel McAdams, a Canadian actor
- Rachel Weisz, an award-winning British actor
- Rachel Zoe, an American fashion designer
- Rachael Leigh Cook, an American actor and model
- Rachael Flatt, an American competitive figure skater
- Rachael Price, an Australian-born American jazz and blues singer
- Rachael Ray, an American celebrity cook, and author
- Rachael Stirling, an English stage, film, and television actor
- Rachael Taylor, an Australian actor
More Baby Names
Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options:
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- 50 Constellation Baby Names
- 50 Place and Location Baby Names
