Rachel

Updated: January 3, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Rachel is a popular name, from 1968 through 2009 it was in the top 100 girl names. With the popularity of the sitcom “Friends” and character Rachel Green bringing the name into millions of households, it makes sense that it peaked in 1996 ranking as the 9th most popular baby girl name during the “Friends” frenzy.

Meaning of the name Rachel:

Hebrew: Ewe, female sheep

Origin of the name Rachel:

Hebrew. Rachel translates to the meaning “ewe” or “female sheep”. In the Bible, Rachel was the second wife of Jacob who he met while she was tending to sheep.

Symbolism of the name Rachel:

Rachel is a symbol of strength and resilience. When her husband to be, Jacob, was tricked into marrying her sister, she maintained her love and desire to marry him. When she couldn't conceive, she offered her maidservant as a surrogate to have Jacob's children.

Style of the name Rachel:

Classic

Gender of the name Rachel:

Rachel is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the name Rachel:

RAY-chel

Syllables in the name Rachel:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Rachel:

The name Olivia evokes a feeling of strength, fortitude, and love.

Alternative spellings for the name Rachel:

Rachael, Racheal, Rachele, Rachell, Rachelle, Raechel, Raechell

Nicknames for the name Rachel:

Rache, Rach, Rae, Rey, Chele, Chelly

Popularity of the name Rachel:

According to the Social Security Administration index, Rachel was the 227th most popular girl name in 2020. Rachel had its highest ranking in the last 20 years in 2000, where it was the 21st most popular name.