Fun Facts About the Name Rachael
- A favorite of earlier generations: Rachael appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 3 years. Its last run lasted 2 consecutive years, from 1987 through 1988.
- More than 82 thousand babies named Rachael: U.S. records list 82,647 babies given the name Rachael from 1880 through 2025. Even 181 boys received the name Rachael - about 1 boy for every 456 girls.
What Does the Name Rachael Mean?
Rachael is a variant spelling of Rachel, a name of Hebrew origin. The Hebrew form is רָחֵל (Rachel), from the ordinary Hebrew noun for a ewe, an adult female sheep. That literal meaning - ewe - is the established sense of the name. In the Hebrew Bible, Rachel is the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The spelling Rachael uses the same name; the ae is an English spelling variation and does not point to a different Hebrew root or a separate meaning.
Rachael Name History & Origins
The name Rachel enters the biblical narrative in Genesis, where Rachel is the daughter of Laban, the wife of Jacob, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Jewish and Christian traditions carried the Hebrew name into Greek as Ῥαχήλ (Rhachēl) and into Latin as Rachel. English translations of the Bible and later English usage inherited those forms, and Rachel became an established English name. The Hebrew letter ḥet (ח) in רָחֵל has a guttural sound; in English the name is pronounced with the ch of church.
Rachael developed as an English spelling variant of that same name. It appears alongside Rachel in English-speaking countries and is pronounced the same way in common American English. Because it is a spelling variant rather than a distinct name, its history, meaning, and biblical associations are those of Rachel. The ae spelling is an English convention, not a separate Hebrew or Greek form.
How Popular is the Name Rachael?
Rachael recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1990. Rachael ranked among the top 100 U.S. names from 1985 through 1985, then returned in 1987 and remained through 1988.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,066 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2024 | #3,935 | 38 | 0.0024% |
| 2023 | #2,966 | 57 | 0.0036% |
| 2022 | #3,355 | 48 | 0.0029% |
| 2021 | #3,201 | 51 | 0.0031% |
| 2020 | #2,619 | 65 | 0.0040% |
| 2019 | #2,283 | 80 | 0.0048% |
| 2018 | #1,794 | 114 | 0.0067% |
| 2017 | #1,798 | 116 | 0.0067% |
| 2016 | #1,424 | 163 | 0.0092% |
| 2015 | #1,299 | 185 | 0.0104% |
| 2014 | #1,172 | 210 | 0.0118% |
| 2013 | #1,024 | 244 | 0.0139% |
| 2012 | #895 | 296 | 0.0168% |
| 2011 | #826 | 321 | 0.0183% |
| 2010 | #699 | 409 | 0.0230% |
| 2009 | #615 | 491 | 0.0267% |
| 2008 | #481 | 658 | 0.0348% |
| 2007 | #393 | 834 | 0.0434% |
| 2006 | #393 | 814 | 0.0428% |
| 2005 | #392 | 797 | 0.0431% |
| 2004 | #369 | 845 | 0.0460% |
| 2003 | #320 | 971 | 0.0531% |
| 2002 | #300 | 1,041 | 0.0579% |
| 2001 | #244 | 1,304 | 0.0724% |
| 2000 | #228 | 1,389 | 0.0765% |
| 1999 | #187 | 1,654 | 0.0932% |
| 1998 | #170 | 1,744 | 0.0987% |
| 1997 | #154 | 2,039 | 0.1171% |
| 1996 | #128 | 2,485 | 0.1418% |
| 1995 | #120 | 2,606 | 0.1482% |
| 1994 | #124 | 2,552 | 0.1429% |
| 1993 | #117 | 2,746 | 0.1518% |
| 1992 | #123 | 2,745 | 0.1489% |
| 1991 | #114 | 2,915 | 0.1555% |
| 1990 | #111 | 3,028 | 0.1595% |
| 1989 | #109 | 2,833 | 0.1537% |
| 1988 | #100 | 2,831 | 0.1590% |
| 1987 | #98 | 2,833 | 0.1629% |
| 1986 | #103 | 2,699 | 0.1573% |
| 1985 | #100 | 2,761 | 0.1604% |
| 1984 | #103 | 2,652 | 0.1575% |
| 1983 | #123 | 2,410 | 0.1443% |
| 1982 | #120 | 2,473 | 0.1460% |
| 1981 | #132 | 2,131 | 0.1278% |
| 1980 | #142 | 2,047 | 0.1233% |
| 1979 | #151 | 1,853 | 0.1154% |
| 1978 | #162 | 1,694 | 0.1106% |
| 1977 | #185 | 1,486 | 0.0969% |
| 1976 | #177 | 1,438 | 0.0981% |
| 1975 | #185 | 1,376 | 0.0944% |
| 1974 | #215 | 1,188 | 0.0810% |
| 1973 | #258 | 972 | 0.0667% |
| 1972 | #269 | 980 | 0.0644% |
| 1971 | #312 | 850 | 0.0511% |
| 1970 | #313 | 886 | 0.0507% |
| 1969 | #333 | 726 | 0.0430% |
| 1968 | #433 | 483 | 0.0294% |
| 1967 | #448 | 446 | 0.0270% |
| 1966 | #584 | 262 | 0.0155% |
| 1965 | #668 | 217 | 0.0123% |
| 1964 | #734 | 201 | 0.0106% |
| 1963 | #736 | 195 | 0.0101% |
| 1962 | #779 | 180 | 0.0092% |
| 1961 | #757 | 189 | 0.0094% |
| 1960 | #850 | 150 | 0.0074% |
| 1959 | #870 | 141 | 0.0070% |
| 1958 | #745 | 180 | 0.0089% |
| 1957 | #935 | 122 | 0.0060% |
| 1956 | #921 | 121 | 0.0060% |
| 1955 | #920 | 115 | 0.0059% |
| 1954 | #771 | 148 | 0.0076% |
| 1953 | #766 | 143 | 0.0076% |
| 1952 | #944 | 98 | 0.0053% |
| 1951 | #966 | 93 | 0.0052% |
| 1950 | #969 | 88 | 0.0051% |
| 1949 | #875 | 101 | 0.0059% |
| 1948 | #946 | 85 | 0.0050% |
| 1947 | #1,007 | 78 | 0.0044% |
| 1946 | #968 | 75 | 0.0048% |
| 1945 | #1,057 | 55 | 0.0042% |
| 1944 | #933 | 69 | 0.0052% |
| 1943 | #1,026 | 61 | 0.0044% |
| 1942 | #944 | 70 | 0.0052% |
| 1941 | #915 | 65 | 0.0054% |
| 1940 | #875 | 67 | 0.0059% |
| 1939 | #916 | 60 | 0.0055% |
| 1938 | #910 | 61 | 0.0055% |
| 1937 | #938 | 55 | 0.0052% |
| 1936 | #1,000 | 48 | 0.0046% |
| 1935 | #981 | 50 | 0.0048% |
| 1934 | #1,017 | 47 | 0.0045% |
| 1933 | #983 | 50 | 0.0050% |
| 1932 | #988 | 52 | 0.0049% |
| 1931 | #1,255 | 34 | 0.0032% |
| 1930 | #907 | 65 | 0.0058% |
| 1929 | #958 | 57 | 0.0051% |
| 1928 | #901 | 67 | 0.0058% |
| 1927 | #785 | 86 | 0.0072% |
| 1926 | #755 | 92 | 0.0078% |
| 1925 | #818 | 83 | 0.0068% |
| 1924 | #764 | 96 | 0.0077% |
| 1923 | #720 | 103 | 0.0085% |
| 1922 | #681 | 115 | 0.0096% |
| 1921 | #607 | 144 | 0.0117% |
| 1920 | #664 | 119 | 0.0099% |
| 1919 | #640 | 118 | 0.0104% |
| 1918 | #605 | 139 | 0.0120% |
| 1917 | #564 | 145 | 0.0134% |
| 1916 | #517 | 160 | 0.0153% |
| 1915 | #672 | 96 | 0.0098% |
| 1914 | #709 | 67 | 0.0088% |
| 1913 | #672 | 60 | 0.0096% |
| 1912 | #657 | 59 | 0.0106% |
| 1911 | #664 | 43 | 0.0103% |
| 1910 | #634 | 45 | 0.0113% |
| 1909 | #902 | 21 | 0.0060% |
| 1908 | #824 | 23 | 0.0069% |
| 1907 | #831 | 21 | 0.0066% |
| 1906 | #698 | 28 | 0.0095% |
| 1905 | #774 | 23 | 0.0079% |
| 1904 | #723 | 24 | 0.0087% |
| 1903 | #587 | 32 | 0.0122% |
| 1902 | #815 | 19 | 0.0072% |
| 1901 | #762 | 19 | 0.0079% |
| 1900 | #513 | 44 | 0.0147% |
| 1899 | #676 | 22 | 0.0094% |
| 1898 | #786 | 19 | 0.0073% |
| 1897 | #757 | 18 | 0.0077% |
| 1896 | #748 | 19 | 0.0080% |
| 1895 | #603 | 26 | 0.0111% |
| 1894 | #659 | 21 | 0.0094% |
| 1893 | #761 | 16 | 0.0075% |
| 1892 | #679 | 19 | 0.0089% |
| 1891 | #660 | 17 | 0.0092% |
| 1890 | #1,080 | 8 | 0.0042% |
| 1889 | #655 | 16 | 0.0090% |
| 1888 | #607 | 18 | 0.0101% |
| 1887 | #655 | 13 | 0.0089% |
| 1886 | #630 | 14 | 0.0097% |
| 1885 | #834 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1884 | #910 | 7 | 0.0054% |
| 1883 | #683 | 9 | 0.0080% |
| 1882 | #726 | 8 | 0.0074% |
| 1881 | #667 | 8 | 0.0087% |
| 1880 | #514 | 12 | 0.0132% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #11,005 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,816 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #6,982 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #3,579 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #5,116 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #3,043 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #4,061 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #5,602 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #4,462 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #3,570 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1982 | #3,246 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1981 | #3,795 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #3,565 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #4,010 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #5,596 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #6,611 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #5,442 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #4,665 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #5,805 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #4,023 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Rachael
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How the Name Rachael Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Rachael's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Rachael's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.