Darla vs Rachel
Darla 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Darla was ranked #391 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Darla was ranked #184 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Darla was ranked #207 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Darla was ranked #346 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Darla and Rachel over time
Darla and Rachel appear together in 2 published lists, across 35 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Darla 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 2 of those lists, and Darla in none. 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.
List by list
England and Wales · Girls24 shared years, 2001–2025
Darla held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Rachel in 22.
Highest recorded here: Darla #346 in 2025, Rachel #39 in 2001.
The order changed in 2025: Darla moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #408 and #377; by 2025 that had become #346 and #394.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darla #346, Rachel #394.
Republic of Ireland · Girls11 shared years, 2014–2025
Darla held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rachel in 10.
Highest recorded here: Darla #184 in 2025, Rachel #53 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Darla #184, Rachel #186.
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 | Darla | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #184 (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); Darla does not have one recorded yet.
- Darla and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Darla doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Darla
Popularity journey
First recorded2001
First recorded at #2226 among girls in England and Wales in 2001 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded2014–2025
Highest recorded position: #184 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #346 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