Rachel
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Ewe; Female Sheep
Background: The name Rachel originates from the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel), which means 'ewe' or 'female sheep.' This term has been passed into Latin as 'Rachel' and then adopted into Greek as Ῥαχήλ (Rhachēl), maintaining its original meaning.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#50
Total births
574,486
Most popular decade
1980s
(442,017 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-91 ranks)
Years in Top 100
43
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.3% male
99.7% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1899
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #1,051
- Peak year
- 1989
- Peak year births
- 106
- Peak rank
- #993
- Most recent year
- 2018
- Recent year births
- 5
- Recent rank
- #12,153
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 166
- First year rank
- #109
- Peak year
- 1985
- Peak year births
- 16,361
- Peak rank
- #13
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 1,285
- Recent rank
- #246
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).