Baby Name Popularity Profile

Rachel

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Rachel.

✦ Ewe 🌍 Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #250
All-Time Peak Rank #9 Achieved 1996
Total U.S. Births 573,957 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1990s 16,360 births in 1985
πŸ’‘ The Rachel Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Ewe
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Derived from the Hebrew name RaαΈ₯el, meaning 'ewe'. Rachel is a prominent figure in the Old Testament, one of Jacob's wives.
Common Nicknames
Rach Shelly
Alternative Spellings
Rachael
Pronunciation: RAY-chΙ™l
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Rachel

According to SSA data, Rachel achieved its highest historical rank of #9 in 1996. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1985 with 16,360 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 36.9%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Rachel across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Stable
10-Year Shift -36.9% Decline
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 16,360 births in 1985
Years in Top 100 43 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 2,128
1890s: 3,279
1900s: 3,974
1910s: 10,482
1920s: 14,199
1930s: 12,268
1940s: 13,409
1950s: 16,775
1960s: 26,795
1970s: 77,749
1980s: 146,675
1990s: 149,167
2000s: 68,401
2010s: 21,076
2020s: 7,580

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Rac-hel
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with R, a letter used by only 4.7% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Rachel.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Utah, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 1,299 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #256 6,803 1996 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 2,569 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 3,296 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 1,248 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #200 10,472 1996 10.3% Decline
Oregon #424 6,282 1982 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 1,404 1997 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #393 12,613 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #328 10,991 1985 17.9% Decline
Tennessee #494 14,377 1990 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #458 15,244 1996 35.7% Decline
Colorado #879 8,029 1996 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 2,026 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 2,189 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #413 7,982 1988 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho #214 2,483 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #244 12,248 1984 8.0% Decline
Connecticut #291 6,688 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #354 14,341 1984 33.3% Decline
New Mexico #372 3,241 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #355 20,608 1995 Stable
Michigan #501 22,654 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #288 27,650 1984 15.2% Decline
North Carolina #342 17,054 1995 +26.9% Growth
Missouri #234 12,913 1984 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #52 15,929 1995 +12.5% Growth
Montana #246 1,729 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #356 5,923 1987 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #367 7,561 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 749 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #318 7,315 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 2,016 1994 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #348 13,541 1996 37.0% Decline
New York #32 42,310 1996 Stable
California #478 53,603 1991 32.4% Decline
Nebraska #264 3,916 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #198 28,248 1995 +1.8% Growth
Kentucky #256 9,119 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #434 39,873 1985 4.9% Decline
Georgia #483 14,424 1996 11.1% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 1,749 1983 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #555 7,455 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #643 5,487 1989 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 1,706 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #700 9,145 1984 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #353 24,268 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 8,816 1985 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 4,274 1984 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 2,041 1985 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 5,289 1985 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Justin Marcus Jesse Derek Bryan Joel Daniel Andrew Travis Kareem
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Ashley Sara Nina Andrea Joanna Nicole Lauren Fallon Kendra Simone

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