Nina vs Rachel
Nina 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.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2023, Nina was ranked #84 and Rachel #142 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Girls
In 2024, Nina was ranked #97 and Rachel #431 among girls in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Nina was ranked #112 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Nina was ranked #157 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2024, Nina was ranked #204 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.
Nina and Rachel over time
Nina and Rachel appear together in 4 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nina in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 3 of those lists, Nina 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 2012, Nina moved ahead of Rachel in England and Wales · Girls — #195 and #190 the year before became #176 and #219.
- Mirrored each other
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Nina rose about as far as Rachel fell — from #393 and #109 in 1967 to #112 and #186 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Nina and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #157 and #394.
List by list
Norway · Girls58 shared years, 1951–2024
Nina held the stronger position in 58 of those years, Rachel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Nina #3 in 1967, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nina #204, Rachel #472.
Republic of Ireland · Girls54 shared years, 1967–2025
Nina held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Rachel in 48.
Highest recorded here: Nina #83 in 2020, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 2020: Nina moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #119 and #96; by 2020 that had become #83 and #115.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #112, Rachel #186.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Nina held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Rachel in 16.
Highest recorded here: Nina #137 in 2021, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order changed in 2012: Nina moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #195 and #190; by 2012 that had become #176 and #219.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nina #157, Rachel #394.
Northern Ireland · Girls27 shared years, 1997–2023
Nina held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Rachel in 21.
Highest recorded here: Nina #84 in 2023, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order changed in 2018: Nina moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #134 and #91; by 2018 that had become #101 and #119.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Nina #84, 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 | Nina | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | A short form of names ending in '-nina', such as Antonina or Giannina; imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. | Commonly interpreted as 'ewe' (female sheep), the biblical wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. |
| Origin | Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnʲi.nə/ | /ˈreɪtʃəl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #112 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nina is recorded with a Various (Russian/Italian short-form tradition) origin, while Rachel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel origin.
- Nina and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
- Nina'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Nina
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #132 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among girls in Norway, in 1964 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #157 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