Donna vs Rachel
Donna 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 2004, Donna was ranked #372 and Rachel #10 among girls in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Girls
In 1984, Donna was ranked #90 and Rachel #11 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1982, Donna was ranked #79 and Rachel #30 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #736 and Rachel #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Donna was ranked #5891 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Donna and Rachel over time
Donna and Rachel appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Donna in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Donna reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Rachel 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.
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 1973, Rachel moved ahead of Donna in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #21 and #24 the year before became #25 and #13.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Donna and Rachel averaged 39.1 places apart, ending at #90 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Donna and Rachel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 54 years, from 1964 to 2024, ending at #736 and #189.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Donna #441 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1964–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Rachel in 52.
Highest recorded here: Donna #33 in 1982, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 1983: Rachel moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #33 and #40; by 1983 that had become #36 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #736, Rachel #189.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Donna held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Donna #441 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Donna #5891, Rachel #377.
New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1965–1984
Donna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 15.
Highest recorded here: Donna #6 in 1965, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order changed in 1970: Rachel moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #12 and #22; by 1970 that had become #16 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Donna #90, Rachel #11.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls15 shared years, 1968–1982
Donna held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 10.
Highest recorded here: Donna #7 in 1968, Rachel #12 in 1974.
The order changed in 1973: Rachel moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #21 and #24; by 1973 that had become #25 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 1982: Donna #79, Rachel #30.
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 | Donna | 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, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | 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); Donna does not have one recorded yet.
- Donna and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Donna doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Donna
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1953–1982
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1964 (recorded 1953–1982).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #5891 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
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 #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls