Rachel
Female nameHebrew
✨ Meaning
Rachel comes from the Hebrew 'rachel,' meaning ewe, a female sheep. Pastoral names of this kind were common in a herding society, where livestock was wealth and the animals were seen daily rather than romanticised from a distance. The ewe carried associations of gentleness and value together, and the biblical Rachel is introduced precisely as a shepherd, tending her father's flock when Jacob first meets her.
🌍 Origin
Rachel is the younger daughter of Laban and the wife Jacob worked fourteen years to marry, and she is the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her tomb near Bethlehem has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. The name has been used continuously in Jewish communities and became widespread in the English-speaking world after the Reformation, peaking in the late twentieth century.
📈 Popularity Trend
⭐ Famous People Named Rachel
- Rachel Carson
- Rachel Weisz
- Rachel Maddow
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rachel mean?
Rachel means 'ewe,' a female sheep, from the Hebrew. The biblical Rachel is introduced as a shepherd tending her father's flock.
How is Rachel pronounced?
In English it is RAY-chel. The Hebrew pronunciation is rah-KHEL, with a guttural ch as in the Scottish loch.
Who was Rachel in the Bible?
The wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her tomb near Bethlehem has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries.