US Popularity Rank: 543

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: ewe or female sheep

Rachel is a lovely feminine name meanding "ewe" or "female sheep." In the Hebrew Bible, Rachel was the beloved, beautiful wife of Jacob, and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin—who became the heads of two of the twelve tribes of Israel. Rachel and Jacob met when she was tending to a flock of sheep, hence the meaning of this historic name. Since the Reformation in the early 16th century, it has become a popular choice from people of all religions. There are also many celebrities named Rachel—McAdams, Weisz, and Maddow, to name a few—not to mention Rachel Greene, played by Jennifer Aniston in the TV series Friends.