Ellie vs Rachel
Ellie 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.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #15 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Ellie was ranked #16 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #30 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Ellie was ranked #35 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2007, Ellie was ranked #70 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Ellie was ranked #119 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Ellie and Rachel over time
Ellie and Rachel appear together in 4 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Ellie held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Rachel in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 4 of those lists, and Ellie 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 1997, Ellie moved ahead of Rachel in England and Wales · Girls — #30 and #27 the year before became #27 and #28.
- Longest-running competitions
Ellie and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #119 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ellie #3 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #30 and #27 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #119 and #394.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls34 shared years, 1987–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Rachel in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #6 in 2023, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 2010: Ellie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #36 and #29; by 2010 that had become #28 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #15, Rachel #186.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ellie held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Rachel in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #2 in 2003, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order changed in 1997: Ellie moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #30 and #27; by 1997 that had become #27 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellie #119, Rachel #394.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Ellie held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rachel in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #3 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order changed in 2003: Ellie moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #18 and #12; by 2003 that had become #6 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ellie #16, Rachel #142.
Norway · Girls13 shared years, 2005–2024
Ellie held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Rachel in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ellie #30 in 2024, Rachel #369 in 2013.
The order changed in 2009: Ellie moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #512 and #411; by 2009 that had become #482 and #533.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellie #30, Rachel #472.
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 | Ellie | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A diminutive of several longer names, particularly Eleanor, Ellen and Elizabeth. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Various, diminutive form | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛl.i/ | /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 #15 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Ellie is recorded with a Various, diminutive form origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Ellie and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- Ellie'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
Ellie
Popularity journey
First recorded1987
First recorded at #488 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1987 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in England and Wales, in 2003 (recorded 1996–2025).
England and Wales · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #119 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