Aimee vs Rachel
Aimee and Rachelcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1993, Aimee was ranked #87 and Rachel #12 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2006, Aimee was ranked #92 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Aimee was ranked #391 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Aimee was ranked #885 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Aimee was ranked #1809 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Aimee was ranked #541 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Aimee and Rachel over time
Aimee and Rachel appear together in 4 published lists, across 134 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aimee in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Rachel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Aimee in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2005, Aimee moved ahead of Rachel in New Zealand · Girls — #75 and #63 the year before became #54 and #77.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aimee and Rachel changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #391 and #142.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Aimee and Rachel averaged 32.0 places apart, ending at #92 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Aimee and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1809 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Girls within 2 years — Aimee #31 in 1983, Rachel #7 in 1985.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls49 shared years, 1977–2025
Aimee held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 49.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #46 in 2005, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #885, Rachel #186.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Aimee held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rachel in 19.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #47 in 2004, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aimee #1809, Rachel #394.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1979–2006
Aimee held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Rachel in 25.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #31 in 1983, Rachel #7 in 1985.
The order changed in 2005: Aimee moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #75 and #63; by 2005 that had become #54 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Aimee #92, Rachel #98.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Aimee held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Rachel in 13.
Highest recorded here: Aimee #9 in 2004, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Aimee #391, Rachel #142.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Aimee | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A variant of Amy, influenced by the French Aimée, carrying associations of love ('beloved'). | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | French, cognate with Amy | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈeɪ.mi/ | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Amy, Aimée | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #885 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Aimee is recorded with a French, cognate with Amy origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Aimee and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- Aimee's recorded meaning differs from Rachel's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Aimee a "high" Data Confidence level and Rachel a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Aimee
Popularity journey
First recorded1977
First recorded at #429 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1809 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls
Rachel
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #379 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1965–2006
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1965–2006).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #394 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Girls