Alice vs Rachel
Alice 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, Alice was ranked #41 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Alice was ranked #52 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Alice was ranked #56 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2006, Alice was ranked #62 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2007, Alice was ranked #81 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Alice was ranked #76 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Alice was ranked #153 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
Alice and Rachel over time
Alice and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 222 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Alice in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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 5 of those lists, Alice 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 2004, Alice moved ahead of Rachel in New Zealand · Girls — #58 and #53 the year before became #54 and #63.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alice and Rachel changed places 8 times in Norway · Girls between 1951 and 2024, ending at #153 and #472.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Alice and Rachel averaged 34.1 places apart, ending at #62 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Alice and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #52 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Alice #65 in 1989, Rachel #10 in 1991.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #25 and #27 in England and Wales · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2025 they were #52 and #394.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Alice held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Rachel in 46.
Highest recorded here: Alice #29 in 2022, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alice #41, Rachel #186.
Norway · Girls58 shared years, 1951–2024
Alice held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Rachel in 5.
Highest recorded here: Alice #123 in 2015, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alice #153, Rachel #472.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Alice held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Rachel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Alice #17 in 2016, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alice #52, Rachel #394.
New Zealand · Girls28 shared years, 1979–2006
Alice held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 23.
Highest recorded here: Alice #34 in 1989, Rachel #7 in 1985.
The order changed in 2004: Alice moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #58 and #53; by 2004 that had become #54 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Alice #62, Rachel #98.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Alice held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rachel in 16.
Highest recorded here: Alice #35 in 2019, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order changed in 2013: Alice moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #84 and #64; by 2013 that had become #49 and #54.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Alice #56, Rachel #142.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1986–2007
Alice held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 17.
Highest recorded here: Alice #65 in 1989, Rachel #10 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Alice #81, Rachel #71.
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 | Alice | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #41 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Alice does not have one recorded yet.
- Alice has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Alice doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Alice
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #292 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among girls in England and Wales, in 2016 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #52 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