Where does the name Rachel come from?

Rachel is a girl name of Hebrew origin.

Is Rachel a boy or a girl name?

Rachel is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Rachel are girls and 0% are boys.

How popular is the name Rachel in 2023?

Rachel ranks #254 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1985 with 16,437 babies.

How do you pronounce Rachel?

Rachel is pronounced RAY-chel (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Rachel?

Rachel is also written as Rachael, Raquel, Rakel.

A name from Hebrew · Girl

Rachel

From רָחֵל (Rāḥel), "ewe." The younger daughter of Laban; Jacob's beloved wife and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The Bible's first named love story ("Jacob loved Rachel," Genesis 29).

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

571,440 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,224 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

RFrom רָחֵל (Rāḥel), "ewe." The younger daughter of Laban; Jacob's beloved wife and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The Bible's first named love story ("Jacob loved Rachel," Genesis 29).

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Rachel".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Rachael Most common Raquel Rakel

Quick answers

People often ask about Rachel.

What does the name Rachel mean?: Rachel means from רָחֵל (Rāḥel), "ewe." The younger daughter of Laban; Jacob's beloved wife and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The Bible's first named love story ("Jacob loved Rachel," Genesis 29).
Where does the name Rachel come from?: Rachel is a girl name of Hebrew origin.
Is Rachel a boy or a girl name?: Rachel is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 100% of children given the name Rachel are girls and 0% are boys.
How popular is the name Rachel in 2023?: Rachel ranks #254 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1985 with 16,437 babies.
How do you pronounce Rachel?: Rachel is pronounced RAY-chel (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Rachel?: Rachel is also written as Rachael, Raquel, Rakel.

Similar names

If you love Rachel, also consider…

James

Boy ·Hebrew

Supplanter; one who follows

Michael

#16

Boy ·Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

#133

Girl ·Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

God is my oath; consecrated to God

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.