Rachel

[MissisBee]

DH and I have only had one name conversation so far (I'm only 9 weeks).

Rachel was his first suggestion for a girl. It's a name that would never had occurred to me, but the more I think about it, the more I like it.

I currently don't know any Rachels. Any I have known would be about my own age but it doesn't have the feel of an 80s name to me like, say, Joanne or Julie.
I do have a penchant for biblical names generally, although I read today that it means "ewe" in Hebrew!!

So, do you like it?
Is it dated?
Does it make you think of Friends?

It's a good name. Recognisable but not too common these days. Plus whilst very popular in the past unlike say, Karen, it doesn't sound dated.

im a rachel! not very popular for babies now but needs bring back i think! also my brother is joey - and we never get "friends" references

My sister is a Rachael. I like the name.

It's funny that Piehunter mentioned the Rachel / Rebecca thing - I'm a Rebecca, and often get called Rachel by mistake.

I like Rachel, OP - having grown up with a Biblical name in the same vein, I can say they serve well at all ages!

Miri - I have a couple of Rachel and Rebecca friends with Rachel and Rebecca siblings. I think the names 'go' together.

Aw this thread is making me very happy! 😀

I went to school with several Rachels, but unlike Sarah, Clare, Alison (& other names that were very common), I don't think it has dated. It's a lovely name.

Sorry I really dislike it, very dull and old fashioned.

Ooh I like it, my DD is almost 18 and it was on the list when I was pregnant with her.

Good to have a positive consensus. I prefer Rachel to Rachael, I think because there was a Rachael at school who wasn't very nice. Isn't it funny how your experiences can influence things like this.

It does make me think of Friends, but I am of that age.

Awesome name.

Rachel is better than Rachael imo.

I wish I'd used it for my dd.

Lovely name. I wanted it for mine, but dh wan't keen.

As others have said, classic, but doesn't 'date' to a particular age group. Really nice name

My dd2 is Rachel, she'll be 13 next week. Theres another in her year group at school, and we know a 91 year old, 10 year old and a 2 year old Rachel as well. Its a great name - in our case it was given to honour DH's Grandma, who died 3 weeks before our Rachel was born. Obviously, I think its a great name!!

It's lovely. A currently underused classic!

It also makes me think of Mrs Rachel Lynde, a great character in my favourite book

Lovely name, a classic.

I love Rachel, the youngest I know is 8.

Nice classic biblical name. I know a toddler Rachel but it is otherwise pretty unusual in that age range.

Another one rocking the name here

I love it - and am feeling the love from this thread! Although I live in a country where the equivalent is Raquel so get called that a lot

I was once one of 4 in my class but in the last 20-25 years I haven't met another. I'm 41 38

Oh and Kelly McGillis' character in Witness was called Rachel and she got to shag Harrison Ford the Amish way

I hate the name (it's my name) I spent most of my life spelling it to everyone and most people seem to think that Rayyyych (shudder) is an acceptable alternative.

Don't do it but if you do prepare for a lifetime of Rayyyych being shouted across the street/playground

I loathe the Friends programme. Omg. The Jennifer Anniston character most of all. That association makes me shudder. Suddenly very glad DS3 was a boy.

DS3 would have been Rachel. It is really really boring name. But I like Boring (shrug). So naturally I prefer the boring spelling (1 a only).

I have never been called Rach, Rachey, Rackers, Ray...

Ra-ra at uni for some reason! But nothing shit. I was Raquelle (rack-ay-lee) in Italy. That was like nails down a blackboard.

Beautiful Beautiful name, not used much these days.
I have a cousin and a friend called Rachel, both wonderful people.
Go for it!!