Rachael
Girl name · #4990 in 2025 · Uniqueness 97/100
In 2025, 26 baby girls were named Rachael, placing it at #4990 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1297, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 girls born in 2025 was named Rachael.
The 145-year story
Rachael first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 3,028 girls were named Rachael — good for #111 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Rachael per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rachael against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rachael in class?
Rachael scores 97 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Rachael will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rachael is most common
State-level data for Rachael is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Rachael
Statistically, parents drawn to Rachael tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Rashell, Rachell, Justina, Cristal, and Rocio.
RashellRachellJustinaCristalRocioAlysiaRandiMarisela
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rachael | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4987 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3892 |
| 2023 | 57 | #2936 |
| 2022 | 48 | #3313 |
| 2021 | 52 | #3112 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2597 |
| 2019 | 80 | #2272 |
| 2018 | 114 | #1787 |
| 2017 | 116 | #1792 |
| 2016 | 163 | #1420 |
| 2015 | 185 | #1297 |
| 2014 | 210 | #1171 |
| 2013 | 244 | #1021 |
| 2012 | 296 | #893 |
| 2011 | 321 | #825 |
| 2010 | 410 | #698 |
| 2009 | 491 | #615 |
| 2008 | 658 | #481 |
| 2007 | 834 | #393 |
| 2006 | 814 | #393 |
| 2005 | 797 | #392 |
| 2004 | 845 | #369 |
| 2003 | 971 | #320 |
| 2002 | 1,041 | #300 |
| 2001 | 1,304 | #244 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Rachael a popular girl name?
Rachael ranked #4990 among girls in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1297.
When was the name Rachael most popular?
Rachael peaked in 1990, when 3,028 American girls received the name (ranked #111 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Rachael?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American girls was named Rachael. It scores 97/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.