Namewise

Hannah vs Rachel

Hannah 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 2006, Hannah was ranked #9 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2007, Hannah was ranked #13 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Hannah was ranked #21 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Hannah was ranked #36 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #66 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #97 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Hannah was ranked #107 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.

Hannah and Rachel over time

Hannah and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Hannah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Rachel 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.

Rachel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Hannah 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 1992, Hannah moved ahead of Rachel in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #16 and #10 the year before became #11 and #13.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Hannah and Rachel changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #36 and #142.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hannah and Rachel averaged 28.6 places apart, ending at #13 and #71.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hannah and Rachel were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 43 years, from 1976 to 2024, ending at #97 and #472.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hannah #6 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

List by list

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

    Hannah held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Rachel in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #5 in 2019, Rachel #6 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hannah #21, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls43 shared years, 1976–2024

    Hannah held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Rachel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #25 in 2005, Rachel #244 in 1978.

    The order changed in 1986: Hannah moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #354 and #332; by 1986 that had become #235 and #283.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #97, Rachel #472.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Hannah held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Rachel in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Hannah #107, Rachel #377.

  • New Zealand · Girls29 shared years, 1978–2006

    Hannah held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Rachel in 11.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #2 in 1996, Rachel #7 in 1985.

    The order changed in 1989: Hannah moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #12 and #8; by 1989 that had become #7 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Hannah #9, Rachel #98.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Hannah held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Rachel in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #6 in 1998, Rachel #7 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Hannah #36, Rachel #142.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls25 shared years, 1983–2007

    Hannah held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Rachel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Hannah #8 in 1997, Rachel #10 in 1991.

    The order changed in 1992: Hannah moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #16 and #10; by 1992 that had become #11 and #13.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Hannah #13, Rachel #71.

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 Hannah

Pairs where Hannah 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2000s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2000 and 2009.

The 2000s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hannah, Rachel
FieldHannahRachel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'favour' or 'grace', referring to graciousness.Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
OriginBiblical HebrewBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel
Pronunciation/ˈhænə//ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables22
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 observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #21 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Hannah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
  • Hannah and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
  • Hannah'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

Hannah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #91 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1978–2023

    Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1996 (recorded 1978–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #73 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · 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 #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls