Namewise

Amy vs Rachel

Amy 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 Zealand · Girls

    In 2006, Amy was ranked #36 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2007, Amy was ranked #48 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Amy was ranked #138 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Amy was ranked #209 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Amy was ranked #275 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Amy was ranked #366 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2023, Amy was ranked #431 and Rachel #451 among girls in Norway.

Amy and Rachel over time

Amy and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 224 years of shared records. Amy held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Rachel in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 5 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, Amy in 2. 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 1978, Amy moved ahead of Rachel in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #27 and #22 the year before became #23 and #24.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Amy and Rachel changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Girls between 1975 and 2006, ending at #36 and #98.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Amy and Rachel averaged 16.9 places apart, ending at #48 and #71.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Amy and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #366 and #394.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Amy #9 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls60 shared years, 1965–2025

    Amy held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Rachel in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 2004, Rachel #6 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2004: Amy moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #9 and #7; by 2004 that had become #4 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #138, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls42 shared years, 1970–2023

    Amy held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Rachel in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #269 in 2008, Rachel #246 in 1984.

    The order changed in 2019: Amy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #462 and #436; by 2019 that had become #434 and #524.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Amy #431, Rachel #451.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls33 shared years, 1975–2007

    Amy held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Rachel in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #7 in 1983, Rachel #10 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1978: Amy moved ahead. In 1977 they stood at #27 and #22; by 1978 that had become #23 and #24.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Amy #48, Rachel #71.

  • New Zealand · Girls32 shared years, 1975–2006

    Amy held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Rachel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1984, Rachel #7 in 1975.

    The order changed in 1992: Amy moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #10 and #8; by 1992 that had become #11 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Amy #36, Rachel #98.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Amy #9 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Amy #366, Rachel #394.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Amy held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Rachel in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Amy #4 in 1998, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2023: Rachel moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #175 and #201; by 2023 that had become #209 and #142.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Amy #209, 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.

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 Amy

Pairs where Amy 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

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 Amy, Rachel
FieldAmyRachel
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
Pronunciation/ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #138 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Amy does not have one recorded yet.
  • Amy and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Amy 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

Amy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #262 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1975–2012

    Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #366 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