English

Alternative forms

• Rachael
• Rachelle

Proper noun

Rachel

1. Younger daughter of Laban, sister to Leah, and second wife of Jacob.
   • 1611, Bible (KJV), Genesis 29:16-17:

     And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

2. A female given name.
   • 1849 The Massachusetts Teacher, Massachusetts Teachers' Association, Vol. 2,page 26, January 1849:

     Rachel is another modest, nun-like name, of the same order as Judith, and has the appropriate signification of a lamb.

   • 1979 Doris Lessing, Shikasta, Knopf, 1979, ISBN 0394507321, page 293

     She keeps saying, You are mistaken Rachel. She says my name in that heavy earnest way. The Jewish Ra-chel. I like my name like that. I have always been pleased when people said Ra-chel. But when she says it, it is as if she was taking me over. Through my name.

   • 2010 Rob Sachs, What Would Rob Do?, John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0470457732:

     I recognize that a name like Rachel goes against my whole "ordering a different dish from everyone else at the table" rule, but sometimes you really want a steak, and that's exactly what you should get. I love the name we gave our daughter. It's not dorky, not too whimsical, and not too stuck-up. To us it sounded sweet, sporty, smart, and beautiful. It also works well with Sachs.

Translations

French

Proper noun

Rachel

1. Rachel (biblical figure)
2. A female given name.

Anagrams

• lâcher

German

Alternative forms

• Rahel

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʁaxl̩/

Proper noun

Rachel f ‎(genitive Rachels)

1. Rachel (biblical figure)
2. A female given name.