Rachel

In This Article

Origin, Meaning, And Popularity Of Rachel

Rachel is a feminine name from Hebrew, meaning ‘ewe’ or ‘innocent lamb.’ The term owes its popularity to the Biblical figure Rachel, the favorite of Jacob’s two wives. In the Book of Genesis of the Bible, Rachel was the daughter of Joseph’s uncle, Laban. Jacob negotiated to work with Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. However, Laban tricked him, and instead of Rachel, Leah was married to Jacob. As a result, Jacob endured seven more years under Laban to marry Rachel finally.

Rachel is a prominent figure in the Abrahamic religion and plays a vital role in the history of the Jews. She is known for her beauty and desire to bear children. In addition, she symbolizes compassion and kindness, as recounted in Esau and Jacob’s reunion. The name Rachel represents fertility, motherhood, and affection. She is also the mother of Benjamin and Joseph.

Some variants in English include Rachyl, Raschelle, Rachelle, Racheal, and Rae. The name has different spellings in different languages: Rakel (Swedish/Icelandic/Danish), Rhacel (Biblical Greek), Rochel (Yiddish), Rahela (Croatian), Rachele (Italian), and Raquel (Portuguese).

Perhaps, the most well-known Rachel in modern times is Rachel Green, the iconic fictional character from the classic American TV series ‘Friends.’ Jennifer Anniston plays her role in this show, created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane. Rachel Dawes is a fictional character from the Dark Knight Trilogy films by Christopher Nolan. Katie Holmes, Emma Lockhart, and Maggie Gyllenhaal have played the role. She is Bruce Wayne’s closest friend and an assistant district attorney.

Rachel Anne Summers, popularly known as Rachel Grey, is a fictional superhero and a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. She is one of the strongest beings in the Marvel storyline. Rachel Gibson is a fictional character from the TV series ‘Alias’ played by Rachel Nichols. She is a computer genius and an intelligent field agent. Finally, Rachel Zane is a fictional character from the TV series ‘Suits’ played by Meghan Markle.

Rachel

heart image
Hebrew - Ewe; Innocent Lamb; A variant of Rachel
Girl
Judaism
German, Hebrew
 R..  Ra..  Rac..  Raj..  Rak..  Raq..  Ras.. 

How To Pronounce Rachel?

German
English

Famous People With The Name Rachel

  • Rachel ZeglerAmerican actress, singer and winner of Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for West Side Story
  • Rachel WeiszBritish actress known for her Academy Award winning performance in The Constant Gardener
  • Rachel PlattenAmerican singer, songwriter, and author known for her debut single Fight Song
  • Rachel McAdamsCanadian actress known for movies like Slings and Arrows, Mean Girls, The Notebook and Doctor Strange
  • Rachel BilsonAmerican actress known for her role in The O.C., Jumper and Hart of Dixie
  • Rachel BolanAmerican musician and bassist for the metal band Skid Row

Rachel On The Popularity Chart

Rachel started gaining popularity in the late 90s. Let us study the data provided by the Social Security Administration to see the title’s performance over the years.

Popularity Over Time

After peaking during the 1980s and the 1990s, Rachel slid down to an average of 1255 babies per million, sharing the name in 2021.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

After peaking at the 9th rank in 1996, it decreased to 239 as of 2021.

Source: Social Security Administration

Names With Similar Sound As Rachel

If you are looking for a name that sounds similar to Rachel, consider the following suggestions.

Names With Similar Meaning As Rachel

Rachel is a beautiful name with deep meaning. If you are looking for similar options, here are some.

Name Numerology For Rachel

Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.