Girl name
Rachel
Rachel holds the #250 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular girl names in the U.S. That amounts to 1,225 newborn girls in a single year. The name has been cooling off, slipping from #226 in 2020 to #250 today. Its strongest year on record was 1996 (#9 nationally, 16,121 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1880. The name's biggest fan base is in New York (#32 there in 2025).
Rankings
2025 rank
#250
among girl names
Trend
Falling
last 5 years
All-time peak
#9
in 1996 (1990s)
Babies in 2025
1,225
girls named Rachel
Rachel popularity, 1880–2025
Where Rachel is most popular
Share of girls born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: New York (#32), New Jersey (#51), Montana (#208)
Uniqueness score
32/ 100Very common
everywhereone of a kind
A familiar pick that most people will recognize instantly. Based on how many babies per birth were named Rachel in the most recent year of SSA data.
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