Namewise

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 2025, Natasha was ranked #1362 and Rachel #394 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 216 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 England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1362 and #394.

  • 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 2025 they were #1362 and #394.

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 · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Natasha held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 30.

    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, 2025: Natasha #1362, Rachel #394.

  • 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.

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 Natasha

Pairs where Natasha 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Natasha, Rachel
FieldNatashaRachel
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
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Girls #1362 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); 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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1971–2005

    Highest recorded position: #8 among girls in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1971–2005).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1362 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