Given name & surname
Rachael
“ewe”
In English use, Rachael has a related form in Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Rachael has a related form in Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Rachael has a related form in Rachel. An origin associated with Rachel is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Rachael has a related form in Rachel. The history of Rachel gives this family its wider story. In biblical stories, Rachel is associated with Jacob's wife.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Rachael through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 82,650
- 181 boys · 82,469 girls
- Most popular year
- 1990
- 3,035 babies
- 2025
- 26
- #5,066 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −59%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 26 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,066 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 58.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 3,028 in 1990. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 75,096 as a first name in 2020; 126 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rachael’s family of names
In English usage, Rachael has a related form in Rachel. In English usage, Rachael has a conventional equivalent in the German form Rachel.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Rachael
- Rachael Leigh CookAmerican actress and modelborn 1979
- Rachael TaylorAustralian actress and modelborn 1984
- Rachael HarrisAmerican actress and comedianborn 1968
- Rachael YamagataAmerican musicianborn 1977
- Rachael CarpaniAustralian actress (1980–2025)
- Rachael StirlingBritish actressborn 1977
- Rachael MacFarlaneAmerican voice actressborn 1976
- Rachael RayAmerican television host, businesswoman, celebrity cook, and authorborn 1968
- Rachael AdamsAmerican volleyball playerborn 1990
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Rachael, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rachelanne
“ewe”
>99% girls
Kala
“son of the sun”
>99% girls
Rebbie
“an outlaw”
>99% girls
Abra
“father of a multitude (of nations)” · “father of a multitude; father of nations”
>99% girls
Rosario
“refers to the rosary and Our Lady of the Rosary” · “refers to the rosary”
22% boys · 78% girls
Rifka
>99% girls
Keturah
“incense”
>99% girls
Rachelle
“ewe”
>99% girls