Hayley vs Rachel
Hayley 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, Hayley was ranked #27 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2006, Hayley was ranked #29 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Hayley was ranked #237 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Hayley was ranked #148 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Hayley was ranked #230 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Hayley was ranked #478 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Hayley and Rachel over time
Hayley and Rachel appear together in 5 published lists, across 170 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Hayley 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 2 of those lists, Hayley 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Girls, Hayley moved into the top 50 at #47 in 2001 as Rachel fell out of it to #66, having been #43 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2000, Hayley moved ahead of Rachel in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #31 and #25 the year before became #28 and #33.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Hayley and Rachel averaged 24.2 places apart, ending at #27 and #71.
- Mirrored each other
Over 51 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Hayley rose about as far as Rachel fell — from #401 and #92 in 1968 to #148 and #186 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Hayley and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #478 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Hayley #57 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls51 shared years, 1968–2025
Hayley held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 46.
Highest recorded here: Hayley #48 in 1997, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 2023: Hayley moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #172 and #146; by 2023 that had become #123 and #148.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayley #148, Rachel #186.
New Zealand · Girls34 shared years, 1973–2006
Hayley held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Rachel in 28.
Highest recorded here: Hayley #14 in 1990, Rachel #3 in 1973.
The order changed in 2001: Hayley moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #50 and #43; by 2001 that had become #47 and #66.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Hayley #29, Rachel #98.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Hayley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 30.
Highest recorded here: Hayley #57 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hayley #478, Rachel #394.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls29 shared years, 1979–2007
Hayley held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Rachel in 20.
Highest recorded here: Hayley #18 in 2003, Rachel #10 in 1991.
The order changed in 2000: Hayley moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #31 and #25; by 2000 that had become #28 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Hayley #27, Rachel #71.
Northern Ireland · Girls26 shared years, 1997–2023
Hayley held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rachel in 25.
Highest recorded here: Hayley #57 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Hayley #237, 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 | Hayley | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #148 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Hayley does not have one recorded yet.
- Hayley and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Hayley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Hayley
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #401 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1973–2016
Highest recorded position: #14 among girls in New Zealand, in 1990 (recorded 1973–2016).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #478 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