Namewise

Aisling vs Rachel

Aisling 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Aisling was ranked #180 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2022, Aisling was ranked #418 and Rachel #201 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Aisling was ranked #1892 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

Aisling and Rachel over time

Aisling and Rachel appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Aisling in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Aisling reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Rachel 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Aisling and Rachel changed places 14 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #180 and #186.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Aisling and Rachel averaged 10.7 places apart, ending at #180 and #186.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Aisling and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1892 and #394.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Aisling #391 in 1998, Rachel #27 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Aisling held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Rachel in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #8 in 1991, Rachel #6 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aisling #180, Rachel #186.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Aisling held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #391 in 1998, Rachel #27 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Aisling #1892, Rachel #394.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2022

    Aisling held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Aisling #60 in 1998, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Aisling #418, Rachel #201.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Aisling

Pairs where Aisling shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Rachel

Pairs where Rachel shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Aisling, Rachel
FieldAislingRachel
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IEAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #180 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Aisling does not have one recorded yet.
  • Aisling and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Aisling doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Aisling

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #154 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1892 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Rachel

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1965–2006

    Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1965–2006).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #394 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls