Namewise

Lara vs Rachel

Lara 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, Lara was ranked #29 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Lara was ranked #51 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Lara was ranked #98 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Lara was ranked #102 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Lara was ranked #131 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Lara was ranked #169 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.

Lara and Rachel over time

Lara and Rachel appear together in 5 published lists, across 160 years of shared records. Lara held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Rachel in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 4 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 5 of those lists, and Lara 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 2008, Lara moved ahead of Rachel in England and Wales · Girls — #115 and #98 the year before became #110 and #117.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Lara and Rachel changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #51 and #142.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 58 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Lara rose about as far as Rachel fell — from #401 and #92 in 1968 to #102 and #186 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Lara and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #98 and #394.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1968–2025

    Lara held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Rachel in 51.

    Highest recorded here: Lara #80 in 2002, Rachel #6 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2020: Lara moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #103 and #96; by 2020 that had become #80 and #115.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lara #102, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls36 shared years, 1968–2024

    Lara held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rachel in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Lara #144 in 2023, Rachel #246 in 1984.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Lara #169, Rachel #472.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Lara held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Rachel in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Lara #85 in 2022, Rachel #27 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2008: Lara moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #115 and #98; by 2008 that had become #110 and #117.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Lara #98, Rachel #394.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Lara held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Rachel in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Lara #51 in 2023, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2018: Lara moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #91 and #91; by 2018 that had become #75 and #119.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Lara #51, Rachel #142.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls9 shared years, 1999–2007

    Lara held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Rachel in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Lara #25 in 2002, Rachel #25 in 1999.

    The order changed in 2001: Lara moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #72 and #33; by 2001 that had become #41 and #49.

    Most recent shared year, 2007: Lara #29, 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 Lara

Pairs where Lara 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 — mirrored each other.

All mirrored each other→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

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

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Lara, Rachel
FieldLaraRachel
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel
Pronunciation/ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #98 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Lara does not have one recorded yet.
  • Lara and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Lara doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Lara

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1968

    First recorded at #553 among girls in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1999–2023

    Highest recorded position: #25 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2002 (recorded 1999–2023).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #98 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #394 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls