Rachel is a name of Hebrew origin that means "ewe" or "female sheep". In the Bible, Rachel was one of the two wives of Jacob and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. She was also known for being barren for many years before finally giving birth to her first son, Benjamin.
The name Rachel has been used throughout history by various notable figures. One example is Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and conservationist who wrote the influential book "Silent Spring" in 1962. Another example is Rachel Whiteread, a contemporary British artist known for her sculptures that explore themes of space, memory, and absence.
Today, Rachel remains a popular name for girls around the world. It has been used in many different cultures and languages, including Hebrew, English, Spanish, Italian, and Swedish. Some variations of the name include Raquel, Rokel, and Rochale.
The name Rachele has a fascinating history of usage in the United States, as evidenced by the birth statistics from 1919 to 2010. The name first appeared in 1919 with five births that year. It then experienced fluctuations in popularity over the decades.
In the 1940s and 1950s, the number of births with the name Rachele varied between five and fifteen per year, indicating a moderate level of usage during this period. However, starting from the late 1950s, there was a notable increase in the popularity of the name.
The peak years for the name Rachele were in the 1960s and early 1970s, with the highest number of births occurring in 1968 (86 births) and 1969 (80 births). This trend continued into the late 1970s and early 1980s, with over 100 births per year occurring between 1982 and 1984.
However, starting from the mid-1980s, there was a significant decrease in the usage of the name Rachele. The number of births dropped to around 60 to 100 per year until the late 1990s, after which it decreased further to single-digit numbers by the early 2000s.
By 2010, only seven births were recorded with the name Rachele in the United States. This decline in popularity can be attributed to changing trends and preferences in naming practices over time.
In total, from 1919 to 2010, there were 3,316 births of individuals named Rachele in the United States. Despite its fluctuations in popularity over the decades, the name remains a unique and distinctive choice for parents looking for a memorable name for their daughter.