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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Rachel or Maria for a baby girl?

34 replies

Jan2026x · 09/08/2025 20:28

Which do you prefer and why?

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CruCru · 14/08/2025 18:31

Both are really nice. How would you pronounce Maria? I’ve heard it pronounced Ma-ree-uh and Ma-rye-ah. How much will it annoy you if someone says the other one?

Similarly, I have a friend called Rachel who sometime gets her name spelled Rachael. Would this annoy you?

user1492757084 · 11/08/2025 10:10

Rachel and ..Marie.

Raquelos · 10/08/2025 18:18

I know a tiny 3yo Rachael whose daddy calls her his little ray of sunshine. Very sweet.

Sumyouup · 10/08/2025 17:39

Maria for a big brown eyed brunette. Beautiful name.

Ketzele · 10/08/2025 17:37

Rachel! I desperately wanted to use this for my eldest but dp vetoed.

Sakura7 · 10/08/2025 17:19

Both are lovely names, but I personally prefer Rachel.

I don't think they're dated as that would suggest they were a fad at a certain time. To me they are classics.

hoohaal · 10/08/2025 17:19

I think they’re both awful and really dated (sorry). If I had to pick though, I think I’d say Maria

Ambroserock · 10/08/2025 17:14

Rachel is fine and a classic. Maria sounds more dated to me, plus I have only known not very nice people called Maria which (unreasonably) puts me off.

Moveoverdarlin · 10/08/2025 17:09

BernardButlersBra · 10/08/2025 00:22

Both terrible and oh so dated. are there no other names you both like?

Totally agree.

Moveoverdarlin · 10/08/2025 17:07

Either would be fine if it was 1975.

PInkyStarfish · 10/08/2025 17:06

I prefer Marie to Maria and I don’t like Rachel.

PermanentTemporary · 10/08/2025 13:51

Ds would have been Rachel if he’d been a girl. Not my top girls name but I like it and Dh adored it. I prefer Mary to Maria I have to say.

Emanwenym · 10/08/2025 13:48

Both are nice. Rachel gets shortened to Rache, which I'm not keen on.

RuthW · 10/08/2025 13:42

Maria is lovely. I know a baby Maria. Rachel is a perfectly useable name but not to my taste.

Mummyandboys · 10/08/2025 11:06

My little boy has a girl named Rachel in his class I’ve never come across another one and she’s such a sweet little girl! Equally we also know a little Maria ☺️ would Rachel Maria be an option? I think it flows lovely.
congratulations 🫶🏼

Enough4me · 10/08/2025 10:01

Both equally lovely. Doesn't help!
Do heads and tales and imagine that name for a week to see if you feel happy or disappointed with the result. You probably have a slight bias towards one.

Kumquatzest · 10/08/2025 09:56

I like both names, but I'd go for Maria because I know so many 1980s/90s-born Rachels.

Numbersaremything · 10/08/2025 09:19

Dated? Both are timeless biblical names. Honestly, if you look at the the tosh proposed on these threads!

I prefer Rachel, but Marie is my middle name.

Cecilly · 10/08/2025 00:38

Maria is my favourite, but Rachel is also nice

ILikeBigBurpsAndICannotLie · 10/08/2025 00:24

Rachel/Rachael lovely.

Always disliked Maria.

BernardButlersBra · 10/08/2025 00:22

Both terrible and oh so dated. are there no other names you both like?

Stichintime · 10/08/2025 00:20

Think Maria is lovely!

RogueFemale · 10/08/2025 00:18

Definitely Rachel. Maria sound very generic.

Bathingforest · 09/08/2025 23:03

Maria...

BootballJoy · 09/08/2025 23:01

I've never liked the name Rachel, but Maria is beautiful.