| Anna | Rachel | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | grace, favour | Ewe |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AN-uh | RAY-chul |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1918 (15,666) | 1985 (16,360) |
| In 2025 | 2,521 | 1,225 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Anna | Rachel |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 17,726 | 7,580 |
| 2010s | 51,326 | 21,076 |
| 2000s | 90,325 | 68,401 |
| 1990s | 78,595 | 149,167 |
| 1980s | 57,327 | 146,675 |
| 1970s | 37,813 | 77,749 |
| 1960s | 40,935 | 26,795 |
| 1950s | 41,701 | 16,775 |
| 1940s | 41,282 | 13,409 |
| 1930s | 66,598 | 12,268 |
| 1920s | 123,895 | 14,199 |
| 1910s | 118,998 | 10,482 |
| 1900s | 54,918 | 3,974 |
| 1890s | 55,261 | 3,279 |
| 1880s | 38,159 | 2,128 |
The Greek and Latin form of Hebrew 'Channah' (Hannah), meaning grace or favour. Reached most European languages via the Greek New Testament (the prophetess Anna).
Rachel is Hebrew for “ewe,” a female sheep taken as a symbol of gentleness. In the Bible she is the beloved wife of Jacob and a matriarch of Israel.
Anna is more popular than Rachel today: about 2,521 US babies were given the name Anna in 2025, compared with 1,225 named Rachel.
Anna means grace, favour (hebrew origin), while Rachel means Ewe (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Anna first appears in 1880 and Rachel in 1880, so Anna has the longer recorded history.