Rachel

American  

[rey-chuhl] / ˈreɪ tʃəl /

noun

1. Jacob's favored wife, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Genesis 29–35.

2. a female given name.

---

Rachel British  

noun

1. Old Testament the second and best-loved wife of Jacob; mother of Joseph and Benjamin (Genesis 29–35)

2. original name Elisa Félix . 1820–58, French tragic actress, famous for her roles in the plays of Racine and Corneille

---

Rachel Cultural  

1. The second wife of Jacob (see Jacob and Esau). She was sterile for many years, but eventually had two sons: Joseph (see Joseph and his brothers) and Benjamin.

---

Etymology

Origin of Rachel

From Late Latin, from Greek Rhachḗl, from Hebrew rāḥēl “ewe, female lamb”

Example Sentences

This production is directed by Tony winner Sam Pinkleton and features Rachel Dratch as the narrator and Luke Evans as Frank-N-Furter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

My colleagues Robert Barro and Rachel McCleary examined data from 59 countries for a 2003 paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

On Wednesday, UK chancellor Rachel Reeves voiced outspoken criticism of the war on Iran, pointing to rising prices and the impact on growth, in a media interview on the sidelines of the IMF meeting.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

“James Bond” actor Daniel Craig and his wife, Rachel Weisz, have quietly sold their longtime Brooklyn townhouse for $11.8 million—nearly a decade after they snapped up the historical abode for just over half that price.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Rachel tilted her head in mock confusion that probably seemed real to everyone else.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows