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 2024, Amy was ranked #363 and Rachel #377 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 223 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 33 years, from 1975 to 2007, ending at #48 and #71.
- 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 · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Amy held the stronger position in 29 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, 2024: Amy #363, Rachel #377.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Amy | 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 | 2 | 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 #138 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 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); 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
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
Highest recorded1975–2012
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in New Zealand, in 1984 (recorded 1975–2012).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #457 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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 #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls