Emma vs Rachel
Emma 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.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #1 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2006, Emma was ranked #4 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 2007, Emma was ranked #19 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Emma was ranked #28 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #53 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Emma was ranked #69 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Emma was ranked #95 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Emma and Rachel over time
Emma and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 250 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Rachel 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.
Rachel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Emma 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 1976, Emma moved ahead of Rachel in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #22 and #13 the year before became #14 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma and Rachel averaged 22.9 places apart, ending at #19 and #71.
- Mirrored each other
Over 39 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Emma rose about as far as Rachel fell — from #90 and #47 in 1969 to #19 and #71 in 2007.
- Longest-running competitions
Emma and Rachel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 39 years, from 1969 to 2007, ending at #19 and #71.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Emma #13 in 1997, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Emma held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Rachel in 10.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 1974: Emma moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #50 and #49; by 1974 that had become #41 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Emma #28, Rachel #186.
Norway · Girls55 shared years, 1951–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 48 of those years, Rachel in 7.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #1, Rachel #472.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls39 shared years, 1969–2007
Emma held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Rachel in 7.
Highest recorded here: Emma #3 in 1988, Rachel #10 in 1991.
The order changed in 1976: Emma moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #22 and #13; by 1976 that had become #14 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Emma #19, Rachel #71.
New Zealand · Girls38 shared years, 1969–2006
Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rachel in 11.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order changed in 1980: Emma moved ahead. In 1979 they stood at #11 and #8; by 1980 that had become #8 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Emma #4, Rachel #98.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Emma held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Rachel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #13 in 1997, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Emma #69, Rachel #377.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Emma held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Rachel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Emma #1 in 2003, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Emma #95, 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 | Emma | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Germanic | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛm.ə/ | /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 | Norway · Girls #1 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Emma and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- Emma'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
Emma
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1969–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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