Rachel
Borrowed from Late Latin Rāchēl, from Ancient Greek Ῥαχήλ (Rhakhḗl), from Biblical Hebrew רָחֵל (rāḫēl, “ewe”).
Every Rachel since 1880 — 575,748 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rachel
Rachel is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #250 in 2025 with 1,225 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 575,748 American babies have been named Rachel. Its peak came in 1985, when 16,437 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rachel stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rachel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,225 | #250 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,292 | #246 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,224 | #254 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,263 | #240 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,271 | #239 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,305 | #226 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,548 | #191 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,558 | #198 | 5 | #13,643 |
| 2017 | 1,622 | #191 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,884 | #171 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,941 | #167 | — | — |
| 2014 | 2,090 | #155 | 5 | #13,569 |
| 2013 | 2,325 | #137 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,420 | #130 | 7 | #10,497 |
| 2011 | 2,664 | #116 | — | — |
| 2010 | 3,024 | #99 | — | — |
| 2009 | 3,589 | #89 | 5 | #14,005 |
| 2008 | 4,087 | #74 | 5 | #14,119 |
| 2007 | 4,841 | #59 | 7 | #10,625 |
| 2006 | 5,551 | #48 | 7 | #10,389 |
| 2005 | 6,226 | #38 | 13 | #6,133 |
| 2004 | 6,923 | #34 | 34 | #3,001 |
| 2003 | 7,997 | #28 | 14 | #5,482 |
| 2002 | 8,944 | #24 | 15 | #5,082 |
| 2001 | 9,556 | #24 | 8 | #8,129 |
| 2000 | 10,687 | #21 | 12 | #5,828 |
| 1995 | 16,047 | #12 | 28 | #2,671 |
| 1990 | 15,710 | #16 | 40 | #1,932 |
| 1985 | 16,360 | #13 | 77 | #1,054 |
| 1980 | 11,618 | #23 | 57 | #1,223 |
| 1975 | 8,225 | #26 | 23 | #2,049 |
| 1970 | 6,029 | #58 | 20 | #2,041 |
| 1965 | 2,011 | #175 | 12 | #2,439 |
| 1960 | 1,792 | #198 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,802 | #185 | 13 | #2,289 |
| 1950 | 1,454 | #189 | — | — |
| 1945 | 1,207 | #174 | 7 | #2,936 |
| 1940 | 1,264 | #166 | 7 | #3,068 |
| 1935 | 1,198 | #164 | 11 | #2,363 |
| 1930 | 1,261 | #164 | 6 | #3,909 |
| 1925 | 1,439 | #165 | 8 | #3,332 |
| 1920 | 1,484 | #156 | 8 | #3,428 |
| 1915 | 1,205 | #156 | 7 | #3,326 |
| 1910 | 538 | #151 | 5 | #1,789 |
| 1905 | 421 | #143 | — | — |
| 1900 | 379 | #153 | 5 | #1,460 |
| 1895 | 351 | #130 | — | — |
| 1890 | 318 | #124 | — | — |
| 1885 | 212 | #122 | — | — |
| 1880 | 166 | #109 | — | — |
Famous people named Rachel
- Rachel Religious figure · -3500–-1553
- Rachel Carson Biologist · 1907–1964
- Rachel Weisz Actor · b. 1970
- Rachel Ruysch Painter · 1664–1750
- Rachel McAdams Actor · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Rachel mean?
Borrowed from Late Latin Rāchēl, from Ancient Greek Ῥαχήλ (Rhakhḗl), from Biblical Hebrew רָחֵל (rāḫēl, “ewe”).
How popular is the name Rachel in 2025?
Rachel ranked #250 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,225 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rachel?
575,748 babies have been named Rachel in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rachel most popular?
Rachel peaked in 1985, when 16,437 newborns received the name.
Is Rachel a boy or girl name?
Rachel is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Rachel rising or falling?
Rachel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rachel?
Well-known people named Rachel include Rachel (religious figure), Rachel Carson (biologist), Rachel Weisz (actor).