Fiona vs Rachel
Fiona 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 Zealand · Girls
In 1987, Fiona was ranked #92 and Rachel #12 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1987, Fiona was ranked #95 and Rachel #21 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2017, Fiona was ranked #432 and Rachel #91 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Fiona was ranked #325 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #291 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #1406 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Fiona was ranked #638 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Fiona and Rachel over time
Fiona and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 180 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Fiona in 1.
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.
Fiona 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 1973, Rachel moved ahead of Fiona in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #16 and #24 the year before became #15 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Fiona and Rachel changed places 6 times in Norway · Girls between 1963 and 2024, ending at #291 and #472.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Fiona and Rachel averaged 24.8 places apart, ending at #95 and #21.
- Longest-running competitions
Fiona and Rachel were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #325 and #186.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Fiona #157 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Fiona held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rachel in 40.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #4 in 1971, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 1986: Rachel moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #19 and #22; by 1986 that had become #22 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fiona #325, Rachel #186.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #157 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #1406, Rachel #377.
Norway · Girls28 shared years, 1963–2024
Fiona held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rachel in 11.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #207 in 2015, Rachel #264 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fiona #291, Rachel #472.
New Zealand · Girls23 shared years, 1965–1987
Fiona held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 18.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #14 in 1969, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order changed in 1970: Rachel moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #14 and #22; by 1970 that had become #18 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #92, Rachel #12.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls20 shared years, 1968–1987
Fiona held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 15.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #12 in 1969, Rachel #12 in 1974.
The order changed in 1973: Rachel moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #16 and #24; by 1973 that had become #15 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Fiona #95, Rachel #21.
Northern Ireland · Girls18 shared years, 1997–2017
Fiona held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 18.
Highest recorded here: Fiona #66 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Fiona #432, Rachel #91.
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 | Fiona | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | The feminine form of Fionn. Popularized by Scottish poet James Macpherson in his 1761 poem Fingal, where it was spelled 'Fióna'. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Scottish, feminine of Fionn | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /fi.ˈoʊ.nə/ | /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 #325 (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
- Fiona is recorded with a Scottish, feminine of Fionn origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Fiona and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- Fiona'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
Fiona
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #87 among girls in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #399 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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