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 August 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
- 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.