Natasha vs Rachel
Natasha 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, Natasha was ranked #85 and Rachel #71 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Girls
In 2005, Natasha was ranked #82 and Rachel #77 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2019, Natasha was ranked #336 and Rachel #138 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2024, Natasha was ranked #736 and Rachel #189 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Natasha was ranked #1262 and Rachel #377 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2015, Natasha was ranked #565 and Rachel #469 among girls in Norway.
Natasha and Rachel over time
Natasha and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Natasha in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Rachel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Natasha 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
Natasha and Rachel changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Girls between 1971 and 2007, ending at #85 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Natasha and Rachel averaged 18.6 places apart, ending at #85 and #71.
- Longest-running competitions
Natasha and Rachel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Girls for 37 years, from 1971 to 2007, ending at #85 and #71.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Natasha #33 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #33 and #27 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #1262 and #377.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls58 shared years, 1965–2024
Natasha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 58.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #69 in 1996, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Natasha #736, Rachel #189.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls37 shared years, 1971–2007
Natasha held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rachel in 33.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #23 in 1992, Rachel #10 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Natasha #85, Rachel #71.
New Zealand · Girls35 shared years, 1971–2005
Natasha held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Rachel in 33.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #8 in 1976, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Natasha #82, Rachel #77.
Norway · Girls35 shared years, 1970–2015
Natasha held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Rachel in 26.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #343 in 2007, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Natasha #565, Rachel #469.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Natasha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 29.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #33 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Natasha #1262, Rachel #377.
Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2019
Natasha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 21.
Highest recorded here: Natasha #34 in 1998, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Natasha #336, Rachel #138.
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 | Natasha | 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 | 3 | 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) | 82/100 | 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); Natasha does not have one recorded yet.
- Natasha has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Natasha 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
Natasha
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #385 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1971–2005
Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1971–2005).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1262 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