| Rachel | Abigail | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Ewe | my father is joy |
| Origin | Hebrew | hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | RAY-chul | AB-ih-gayl |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1985 (16,360) | 2003 (15,932) |
| In 2025 | 1,225 | 4,941 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Rachel | Abigail |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 7,580 | 37,379 |
| 2010s | 21,076 | 118,734 |
| 2000s | 68,401 | 150,926 |
| 1990s | 149,167 | 72,779 |
| 1980s | 146,675 | 20,658 |
| 1970s | 77,749 | 6,704 |
| 1960s | 26,795 | 2,411 |
| 1950s | 16,775 | 1,671 |
| 1940s | 13,409 | 647 |
| 1930s | 12,268 | 365 |
| 1920s | 14,199 | 322 |
| 1910s | 10,482 | 270 |
| 1900s | 3,974 | 136 |
| 1890s | 3,279 | 128 |
| 1880s | 2,128 | 133 |
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.
From Hebrew Avigail: av 'father' + gil 'joy, rejoicing,' usually 'my father is joy' or 'my father's joy.' Borne by one of David's wives, remembered for her wisdom and level head (1 Samuel 25). Etymology well established.
Abigail is more popular than Rachel today: about 4,941 US babies were given the name Abigail in 2025, compared with 1,225 named Rachel.
Rachel means Ewe (Hebrew origin), while Abigail means my father is joy (hebrew origin).
In US records, Rachel first appears in 1880 and Abigail in 1880, so Rachel has the longer recorded history.