Namewise

Paula vs Rachel

Paula 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 1984, Paula was ranked #93 and Rachel #11 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1976, Paula was ranked #98 and Rachel #17 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2021, Paula was ranked #298 and Rachel #139 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #718 and Rachel #186 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Paula was ranked #1584 and Rachel #394 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2024, Paula was ranked #507 and Rachel #472 among girls in Norway.

Paula and Rachel over time

Paula and Rachel appear together in 6 published lists, across 192 years of shared records. Rachel held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Paula in 1.

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.

Paula reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Rachel 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 1970, Rachel moved ahead of Paula in New Zealand · Girls — #16 and #22 the year before became #15 and #4.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Paula and Rachel changed places 19 times in Norway · Girls between 1951 and 2024, ending at #507 and #472.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Paula and Rachel were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1584 and #394.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Paula #549 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls61 shared years, 1964–2025

    Paula held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Rachel in 51.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1979, Rachel #6 in 1997.

    The order changed in 1981: Rachel moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #34 and #49; by 1981 that had become #47 and #39.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #718, Rachel #186.

  • Norway · Girls57 shared years, 1951–2024

    Paula held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Rachel in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #251 in 1996, Rachel #214 in 1973.

    The order changed in 2024: Rachel moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #394 and #451; by 2024 that had become #507 and #472.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Paula #507, Rachel #472.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Paula #549 in 1996, Rachel #27 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Paula #1584, Rachel #394.

  • New Zealand · Girls19 shared years, 1965–1984

    Paula held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Rachel in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #15 in 1970, Rachel #3 in 1971.

    The order changed in 1970: Rachel moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #16 and #22; by 1970 that had become #15 and #4.

    Most recent shared year, 1984: Paula #93, Rachel #11.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls16 shared years, 1997–2021

    Paula held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Rachel in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #172 in 1997, Rachel #7 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Paula #298, Rachel #139.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls9 shared years, 1968–1976

    Paula held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Rachel in 8.

    Highest recorded here: Paula #62 in 1971, Rachel #12 in 1974.

    The order changed in 1969: Rachel moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #65 and #75; by 1969 that had become #81 and #47.

    Most recent shared year, 1976: Paula #98, Rachel #17.

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 Paula

Pairs where Paula 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

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

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Paula, Rachel
FieldPaulaRachel
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
Pronunciation/ˈreɪtʃəl/
Syllables22
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 observationNorway · Girls #521 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Girls #186 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Rachel has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Rhakhel); Paula does not have one recorded yet.
  • Paula and Rachel both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Rachel; Paula 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

Paula

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #264 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1954–1984

    Highest recorded position: #15 among girls in New Zealand, in 1970 (recorded 1954–1984).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1584 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