Rachel is a distinctive choice, ranked #377 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Rachel in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#377
US Rank #247
About the Name Rachel
Rachel is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 25 places over five years. Its high point was #27 in 1996, and it now sits at #377. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has featured in the UK top 100 for 12 years, demonstrating solid mainstream recognition.
Rachel is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #247, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Rachel
Unlikely. With around 114 UK babies named Rachel per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Rachel in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Rachel has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 25 places in the last five years. Its peak was #27 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Rachel is more popular in the US (#247) than in the UK (#377). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Rachel include: Rachel Stuart — Rachel Stuart is a Jamaican-Canadian model, actress, tv host and beauty pageant titleholder.; Rachel Reeves — Rachel Jane Reeves is a British politician who has served as Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2024.; Rachel Shelley — Rachel Shelley is an English actress, audio producer and model..
Rachel appears in the US top 500 at #247 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
114
UK babies named Rachel (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 25 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Rachel
Likely around 1 other Rachel in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Rachel
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Rachel Jane Reeves is a British politician who has served as Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2024. A member of the Labour Party, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds West and Pudsey, formerly Leeds West, since 2010.
Rachel Shelley is an English actress, audio producer and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series The L Word and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic Lagaan.
Rachel Sarah Parris is an English comedian, musician, actress and presenter. She hosted the satirical news show Late Night Mash (formerly The Mash Report).
Rachel Jackson was the wife of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. She lived with him at their home at the Hermitage, where she died just days after his election and before his inauguration in 1829—therefore she never served as first lady, a role assumed by her niece, Emily Donelson.
Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig is an American fashion designer, businesswoman and author who rose to prominence as a celebrity wardrobe stylist. She has been credited with the creation of "the boho-meets-rock chic look that came to define a new breed of Hollywood ‘it’-girls who were as adept at setting trends as they were at causing trouble" in the mid-2000s.
Rachel Redgrave, known primarily by her birth name Rachel Kempson, was an English actress. She married Sir Michael Redgrave, and was the matriarch of the famous acting dynasty.