Natalie vs Rachel
Natalie 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, Natalie was ranked #51 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2004, Natalie was ranked #94 and Rachel #63 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2021, Natalie was ranked #350 and Rachel #139 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #381 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Natalie was ranked #347 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Natalie was ranked #634 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Natalie was ranked #541 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Natalie and Rachel over time
Natalie and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 238 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Natalie in 2.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Natalie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Rachel in 2. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Natalie and Rachel changed places 8 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1968 and 2007, ending at #51 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Girls, Natalie and Rachel averaged 52.3 places apart, ending at #634 and #394.
- Longest-running competitions
Natalie and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #634 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Natalie #42 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 62.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #76 in 1992, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #381, Rachel #186.
Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1968–2024
Natalie held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Rachel in 10.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #69 in 2005, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Natalie #347, Rachel #472.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls40 shared years, 1968–2007
Natalie held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Rachel in 15.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #9 in 1976, Rachel #10 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Natalie #51, Rachel #71.
New Zealand · Girls36 shared years, 1965–2004
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 36.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #16 in 1984, Rachel #3 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Natalie #94, Rachel #63.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 30.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #42 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Natalie #634, Rachel #394.
Northern Ireland · Girls22 shared years, 1997–2021
Natalie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 22.
Highest recorded here: Natalie #66 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Natalie #350, Rachel #139.
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 | Natalie | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | From the Roman names Natalis/Natalia, from Latin 'natalis' ('relating to birth, birthday') — connecting the name to Christmas Day as Jesus's traditional birthday. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Latin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnæt.ə.li/ | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Girls #269 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Natalie is recorded with a Latin origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Natalie has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- Natalie'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
Natalie
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #92 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2014
Highest recorded position: #9 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1964–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #634 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