Given name
Rahel
“ewe”·“the innocent lamb”
In German use, Rahel is a variant of Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.” Rahel is a variant of Rahil. In Hebrew use, Rahil carries the interpretation “the innocent lamb.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Rahel is a variant of Rachel. One Hebrew interpretation is “ewe.” Rahel is a variant of Rahil. In Hebrew use, Rahil carries the interpretation “the innocent lamb.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Rahel is a variant of 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 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In German use, Rahel is a variant of 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
Rahel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 511
- 0 boys · 511 girls
- Most popular year
- 1996
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #8,238 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −32%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,238 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23 in 1996. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,263 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Rahel’s family of names
In German usage, Rahel has a related form in Rachel. In Indonesian usage, Rahel has a conventional equivalent in the French form Rachel. Rahel has a related form in Rahil.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Rahel has relatives in 4 languages.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Rahel
- Rahel VarnhagenGerman writer1771–1833
- Rahel SanzaraGerman writer (1894–1936)
- Rahel StrausGerman-Jewish physician, feminist and writer1880–1963
- Rahel FreySwiss racing driverborn 1986
- Rachel AzariaIsraeli politicianborn 1977
- Rahel Szalit-MarcusPolish painter1894–1942
- Rahel JaeggiGerman professorborn 1967
- Rahel KoppSwiss alpine skierborn 1994
- Rahel KiwicSwiss footballerborn 1991
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Rahel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.