Namewise

Leah vs Rachel

Leah 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.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Leah was ranked #18 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 2006, Leah was ranked #53 and Rachel #98 among girls in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Leah was ranked #55 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 2002, Leah was ranked #100 and Rachel #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2023, Leah was ranked #70 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Leah was ranked #145 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Leah was ranked #183 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

Leah and Rachel over time

Leah and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 191 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

The order between them changed and held in 5 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, Leah 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 2000, Leah moved ahead of Rachel in England and Wales · Girls — #32 and #30 the year before became #28 and #36.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 24 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Leah and Rachel averaged 50.5 places apart, ending at #100 and #65.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 56 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Leah rose about as far as Rachel fell — from #310 and #123 in 1966 to #55 and #186 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Leah and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #183 and #394.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Leah #10 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #35 and #27 in England and Wales · Girls, 8 places apart; by 2025 they were #183 and #394.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls56 shared years, 1966–2025

    Leah held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rachel in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #9 in 2004, Rachel #6 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2004: Leah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #10 and #7; by 2004 that had become #9 and #14.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #55, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls34 shared years, 1982–2024

    Leah held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Rachel in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #13 in 2012, Rachel #246 in 1984.

    The order changed in 1999: Leah moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #406 and #386; by 1999 that had become #351 and #381.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Leah #18, Rachel #472.

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

    Leah held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Rachel in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #24 in 2002, Rachel #27 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2000: Leah moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #32 and #30; by 2000 that had become #28 and #36.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Leah #183, Rachel #394.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Leah held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rachel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #10 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2005: Leah moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #18 and #10; by 2005 that had become #10 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Leah #70, Rachel #142.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls24 shared years, 1968–2002

    Leah held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #47 in 1983, Rachel #10 in 1991.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2002: Leah #100, Rachel #65.

  • New Zealand · Girls20 shared years, 1976–2006

    Leah held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rachel in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Leah #53 in 2006, Rachel #7 in 1976.

    The order changed in 2004: Leah moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #57 and #53; by 2004 that had become #56 and #63.

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Leah #53, Rachel #98.

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 Leah

Pairs where Leah 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 Leah, Rachel
FieldLeahRachel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningLikely derives from a Hebrew word meaning 'weary, grieved'; an alternative theory suggests a connection to Akkadian 'littu' ('cow'). In the Old Testament, Leah was Jacob's first wife.Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, etymology disputedBiblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel
Pronunciation/ˈliː.ə//ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables12
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 observationNorway · Girls #12 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Leah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, etymology disputed origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
  • Leah has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rachel.
  • Leah'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

Leah

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #310 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1966–2025

    Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1966–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #183 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