Rachel

Means "female sheep"

Rachel is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "ewe." It remains popular across English-speaking countries and appears frequently in biblical contexts—Rachel was the favored wife of Jacob in the Old Testament.

The name has produced diminutives like Rae and Shelley: Rachel goes by Rae at work.

biblical

Jacob

Male given name

LeahBiblical matriarch's name
GenesisFirst biblical book
JosephCommon masculine given name

Benjamin · matriarch · Hebrew · Rebekah · Isaac · Sarah · Abraham · barren · mandrakes · tomb

name

Rebecca

Hebrew name meaning "captivating"

SarahFemale name, Hebrew origin
LeahBiblical matriarch's name
HannahSymmetrical female name

Monica · Jennifer · Jessica · Michelle · Stephanie · Amy · Lauren · Megan · Nicole · Amanda

Categories

First NamesJames, John, Mary, Elizabeth, William
Girls' NamesAbigail, Alice, Amanda, Amy, Anna
Bible PeopleAbraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David
Biblical FiguresJesus, Adam, Eve, Moses, Noah
Friends charactersMonica, Phoebe, Ross, Gunther, Janice
Hebrew namesAaron, Abraham, Adam, Benjamin, Daniel

Opposites

gender of name

RachelRichard

Masculine name, Germanic origin

Robert · Ryan · Michael · David · James

biblical sibling rivalry (Rachel vs. Leah)

RachelLeah

Biblical matriarch's name

Friends TV show character dynamics

RachelRoss

Scottish promontory name

Monica · Phoebe

Phrases

Ross and RachelIconic will-they-won't-they pair
Rachael Ray
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Green
Rachel Carson
Rachel Weisz

Family

Rachael

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G