Namewise

Elizabeth vs Rachel

Elizabeth 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 South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2007, Elizabeth was ranked #36 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2006, Elizabeth was ranked #45 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #74 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Elizabeth was ranked #76 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #113 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Elizabeth was ranked #124 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Elizabeth was ranked #484 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.

Elizabeth and Rachel over time

Elizabeth and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 258 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

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.

Elizabeth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Rachel 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 2018, Elizabeth moved ahead of Rachel in Northern Ireland · Girls — #110 and #91 the year before became #101 and #119.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Elizabeth and Rachel changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1968 and 2007, ending at #36 and #71.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Elizabeth and Rachel averaged 12.8 places apart, ending at #36 and #71.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elizabeth and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #74 and #394.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #26 and #27 in England and Wales · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #74 and #394.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Rachel in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #5 in 1969, Rachel #6 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #76, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1951–2024

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Rachel in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #154 in 1968, Rachel #214 in 1973.

    The order changed in 2024: Rachel moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #327 and #451; by 2024 that had become #484 and #472.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elizabeth #484, Rachel #472.

  • New Zealand · Girls42 shared years, 1965–2006

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Rachel in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #14 in 1984, Rachel #3 in 1971.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Elizabeth #45, Rachel #98.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls40 shared years, 1968–2007

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Rachel in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #15 in 1968, Rachel #10 in 1991.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Elizabeth #36, Rachel #71.

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

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rachel in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #26 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elizabeth #74, Rachel #394.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Elizabeth held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Rachel in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Elizabeth #55 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2018: Elizabeth moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #110 and #91; by 2018 that had become #101 and #119.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Elizabeth #124, 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 Elizabeth

Pairs where Elizabeth 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales 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 Elizabeth, Rachel
FieldElizabethRachel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningFrom the Greek Elisabet, from Hebrew Elisheva, combining 'el' (God) with 'shava' ('oath') — 'my God is an oath'. Appears in the Old Testament as Elisheba, Aaron's wife, and in the New Testament as the mother of John the Baptist.Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
OriginBiblical HebrewBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel
Pronunciation/ɪ.ˈlɪz.ə.bəθ//ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables42
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 observationEngland and Wales · Girls #74 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)65/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)70/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elizabeth is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
  • Elizabeth has 4 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachel.
  • Elizabeth's recorded meaning differs from Rachel's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Elizabeth

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #341 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1969 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #74 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