Niamh vs Rachel
Niamh 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 Zealand · Girls
In 2000, Niamh was ranked #94 and Rachel #43 among girls in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Niamh was ranked #43 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Niamh was ranked #76 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #90 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Niamh was ranked #208 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Niamh and Rachel over time
Niamh and Rachel appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Niamh held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Rachel in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 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 2 of those lists, Niamh 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 took the other's place near the top
In England and Wales · Girls, Niamh moved into the top 50 at #48 in 2004 as Rachel fell out of it to #65, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Niamh moved ahead of Rachel in England and Wales · Girls — #56 and #48 the year before became #48 and #65.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Niamh and Rachel changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Girls between 1997 and 2023, ending at #43 and #142.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Girls, Niamh and Rachel averaged 44.3 places apart, ending at #43 and #142.
- Longest-running competitions
Niamh and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #208 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Niamh #5 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 59 of those years, Rachel in 3.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #2 in 1993, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #90, Rachel #186.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Niamh held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rachel in 8.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #40 in 2000, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order changed in 2004: Niamh moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #56 and #48; by 2004 that had become #48 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niamh #208, Rachel #394.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Niamh held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Rachel in 3.
Highest recorded here: Niamh #5 in 2005, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order changed in 2004: Niamh moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #14 and #7; by 2004 that had become #7 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Niamh #43, Rachel #142.
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 | Niamh | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'bright' or 'radiant'. In Irish mythology, Niamh was daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, who fell in love with the poet Oisín. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Irish (mythological) | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲiːvˠ/ | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Neve, Níam | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #90 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Niamh is recorded with a Irish (mythological) origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Niamh has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- Niamh's recorded meaning differs from Rachel's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Niamh a "high" Data Confidence level and Rachel a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Niamh
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #109 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1993 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #208 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