How to say it
RA · chel
ˈreɪ.tʃəl
Feminine
Rachel
Ewe
What it means
Hebrew Rachel, 'ewe' (female sheep). Jacob's beloved second wife in Genesis, mother of Joseph and Benjamin; her tomb on the road to Bethlehem is a Jewish pilgrimage site.
Rachel comes from the Hebrew Rachel ('ewe,' female sheep, a fitting name for a shepherd's daughter). In Genesis she's Jacob's beloved second wife, the one he worked fourteen years to marry; she's the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, and she dies in childbirth on the road to Bethlehem. Her tomb is a Jewish pilgrimage site. The English Rachel was a Puritan favorite, and Friends's Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston, 1994-2004) made the name globally familiar to a Gen-X-and-Millennial audience, 'The Rachel' haircut is a still-current cultural reference. It's been in the US top 50 since 1980 and is sliding now. Common shorts: Rach, Rae.
How to spell Rachel
The standard spelling is Rachel. Common variants include Rahel, Raquel, but Rachel is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #9 in 1996, currently #250 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Friends's Rachel Green and 'The Rachel' haircut (1995-1996) are the dominant Gen-X anchors; the biblical Rachel is the deeper one.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Rachel (Bible) Jacob's beloved second wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin
- Rachel Green (Friends) Jennifer Aniston's character, 1994-2004
- Rachel Maddow American journalist and host of The Rachel Maddow Show
Spelling variants
- Rahel
- Raquel
Names with the same feeling
See Rachel from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Rachel mean?
- Hebrew Rachel, 'ewe' (female sheep). Jacob's beloved second wife in Genesis, mother of Joseph and Benjamin; her tomb on the road to Bethlehem is a Jewish pilgrimage site.
- What does Rachel mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Rachel means "Ewe." Rachel comes from the Hebrew Rachel ('ewe,' female sheep, a fitting name for a shepherd's daughter). In Genesis she's Jacob's beloved second wife, the one he worked fourteen years to marry; she's the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, and she dies in childbirth on the road to Bethlehem. Her tomb is a Jewish pilgrimage site. The English Rachel was a Puritan favorite, and Friends's Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston, 1994-2004) made the name globally familiar to a Gen-X-and-Millennial audience, 'The Rachel' haircut is a still-current cultural reference. It's been in the US top 50 since 1980 and is sliding now. Common shorts: Rach, Rae.
- How do you pronounce Rachel?
- Rachel is pronounced ˈreɪ.tʃəl. Say it as RA-chel, with the stress on the "ra" syllable.
- How do you spell Rachel?
- The standard spelling is Rachel. Common spelling variants include Rahel, Raquel.
- Is Rachel a boy or girl name?
- Rachel is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Rachel?
- Rachel ranked #250 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.