Patricia vs Rachel
Patricia 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 1978, Patricia was ranked #85 and Rachel #8 among girls in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
In 1984, Patricia was ranked #98 and Rachel #22 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2020, Patricia was ranked #333 and Rachel #149 among girls in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2025, Patricia was ranked #608 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2025, Patricia was ranked #1407 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.
Norway · Girls
In 2017, Patricia was ranked #544 and Rachel #436 among girls in Norway.
Patricia and Rachel over time
Patricia and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 178 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Patricia in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Patricia reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Rachel in none. 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 New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Rachel moved into the top 50 at #47 in 1969 as Patricia fell out of it to #52, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1969, Rachel moved ahead of Patricia in New South Wales, Australia · Girls — #38 and #75 the year before became #52 and #47.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Patricia and Rachel changed places 15 times in Norway · Girls between 1951 and 2017, ending at #544 and #436.
- Longest-running competitions
Patricia and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1407 and #394.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Patricia #443 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025
Patricia held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Rachel in 43.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #8 in 1965, Rachel #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 1983: Rachel moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #35 and #40; by 1983 that had become #33 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patricia #608, Rachel #186.
Norway · Girls48 shared years, 1951–2017
Patricia held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Rachel in 34.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #271 in 1973, Rachel #214 in 1973.
The order changed in 2013: Rachel moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #554 and #594; by 2013 that had become #550 and #369.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Patricia #544, Rachel #436.
England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025
Patricia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 30.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #443 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Patricia #1407, Rachel #394.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls13 shared years, 1968–1984
Patricia held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rachel in 12.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #38 in 1968, Rachel #12 in 1974.
The order changed in 1969: Rachel moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #38 and #75; by 1969 that had become #52 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Patricia #98, Rachel #22.
Northern Ireland · Girls13 shared years, 1997–2020
Patricia held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 13.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #139 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Patricia #333, Rachel #149.
New Zealand · Girls12 shared years, 1965–1978
Patricia held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Rachel in 8.
Highest recorded here: Patricia #32 in 1965, Rachel #3 in 1971.
The order changed in 1969: Rachel moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #38 and #40; by 1969 that had become #61 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 1978: Patricia #85, Rachel #8.
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 | Patricia | 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 | /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 #608 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 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); Patricia does not have one recorded yet.
- Patricia has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rachel.
- A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Patricia 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
Patricia
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #385 among girls in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1954–1978
Highest recorded position: #7 among girls in New Zealand, in 1955 (recorded 1954–1978).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1407 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