Kim vs Rachel
Kim 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 1985, Kim was ranked #78 and Rachel #7 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Kim was ranked #80 and Rachel #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2012, Kim was ranked #451 and Rachel #64 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Kim was ranked #736 and Rachel #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Kim was ranked #4192 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2011, Kim was ranked #589 and Rachel #594 among girls in Norway.
Kim and Rachel over time
Kim and Rachel appear together in 5 published lists, across 168 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kim in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kim reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Rachel 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 1973, Rachel moved ahead of Kim in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #13 and #24 the year before became #20 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Kim and Rachel changed places 20 times in Norway · Girls between 1951 and 2011, ending at #589 and #594.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New Zealand · Girls, Kim and Rachel averaged 30.6 places apart, ending at #78 and #7.
- Longest-running competitions
Kim and Rachel were both ranked in Norway · Girls for 44 years, from 1951 to 2011, ending at #589 and #594.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Kim #382 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls57 shared years, 1964–2024
Kim held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 57.
Highest recorded here: Kim #64 in 1992, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kim #736, Rachel #189.
Norway · Girls44 shared years, 1951–2011
Kim held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Rachel in 18.
Highest recorded here: Kim #205 in 1967, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Kim #589, Rachel #594.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kim held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kim #382 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kim #4192, Rachel #377.
New Zealand · Girls21 shared years, 1965–1985
Kim held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 16.
Highest recorded here: Kim #5 in 1968, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order changed in 1970: Rachel moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #10 and #22; by 1970 that had become #12 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Kim #78, Rachel #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls17 shared years, 1968–1984
Kim held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 12.
Highest recorded here: Kim #9 in 1970, Rachel #12 in 1974.
The order changed in 1973: Rachel moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #13 and #24; by 1973 that had become #20 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Kim #80, Rachel #22.
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 | Kim | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | Used for both boys and girls | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #736 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Kim does not have one recorded yet.
- Kim has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Kim doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Kim
Popularity journey
First recorded1951
First recorded at #344 among girls in Norway in 1951 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1958–1985
Highest recorded position: #5 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1958–1985).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #4192 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
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 #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls