UK girl's name
Rachael
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "ewe" or "female lamb".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rachael is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rachael popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3318, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 721 births.
This profile covers 4,702 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 1% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9,299 living people in the UK are called Rachael. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rachael ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 721 girls were registered as Rachael.
- • Rachael ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #432 in 2017.
- • About 9,299 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rachael as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3318
2024
Births in 2024
7
Latest year
Peak year
1996
721 births
Estimated living
9,299
2026
Meaning
What does Rachael mean?
The name Rachael has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the biblical name Rachel, which is thought to have originated from the Hebrew word "rachel" meaning "ewe" or female sheep. The name can be traced back to ancient times, as it appears in the Old Testament of the Bible as the name of the wife of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
In the biblical account, Rachel is described as being beautiful and deeply loved by Jacob. However, she initially struggles with infertility before eventually giving birth to Joseph. Rachel's story is intertwined with that of her sister Leah, who was also married to Jacob, and their rivalry is a central theme in the biblical narrative.
The earliest recorded example of the name Rachel can be found in the Book of Genesis, which is believed to have been written between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. However, the name's use likely predates the written record, as it was a common name among the ancient Hebrews.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Rachael or its variations. One of the most famous was Rachael Ruysch (1664-1750), a Dutch artist renowned for her exquisite still-life paintings of flowers. Another notable figure was Rachael Pringle Polgreen (1753-1790), a British writer and advocate for women's education.
In the realm of literature, the name Rachael is associated with the character of Rachael Lapides in John Updike's novel "Couples" (1968). Additionally, Rachael Stirling (born 1977) is a British actress known for her roles in various television shows and films.
Rachael Heyhoe Flint (1939-2017) was an English cricketer who captained the England women's national cricket team and played a significant role in promoting women's cricket. Rachael Blackmore (born 1989) is an Irish jockey who made history in 2021 as the first female jockey to win the Grand National, one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.
While the name Rachael has Biblical origins, it has transcended its religious roots and has been embraced by various cultures across the globe. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its melodic sound and its association with strength, beauty, and resilience, as exemplified by the biblical Rachel.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rachael over time
The chart below shows babies named Rachael registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rachael, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 721 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rachael by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rachael was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2838 | 45 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1142 | 333 | 10 |
| 2000s | #273 | 1,986 | 10 |
| 1990s | #91 | 2,338 | 4 |
Geography
Where Rachael is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rachael. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Rachael ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #432 in 2017.
Across the UK
Rachael in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#471 in 2020
47 years of NRS records, 4,113 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#432 in 2017
19 years of NISRA records, 562 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Rachael
-
Rachael Johnstone
association football player
Scottish footballer
2004-
-
Rachael Boyle
association football player
Scottish footballer (born 1991)
1991-
-
Rachael Laws
association football player
English association football player (born 1990)
1990-
-
Rachael Cairns
actor; model
British actor and model
1988-
-
Rachael Burford
rugby union player
English female rugby union player
1986-
-
Rachael Axon
association football player
British association football player (born 1985)
1985-
-
Rachael Vanderwal
basketball player
British basketball player
1983-
-
Rachael Wooding
actor; singer
English musical theatre actor
1979-
Related
Names similar to Rachael
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
- Ria 3,900
FAQ
Rachael: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rachael in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rachael was ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Rachael most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 721 babies registered as Rachael in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rachael?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "ewe" or "female lamb".
How many people are called Rachael in the UK?
A total of 4,702 babies have been registered as Rachael across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4,113 more in Scotland and 562 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Rachael most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rachael ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #432 in 2017. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.