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HelpRachel or Rachael?
Searching on the Opinions Board, I saw that the last time this question was posed was in 2019, and was curious what people's opinions on here were 5 years later.
Rachel certainly has an appeal, even if she isn't "pretty," per se. But not everyone wants a "pretty" name for their daughter. It's why names like Gretchen, Sloan/e, Meredith, April, Dagny, Kendra, and even Margaret (to an extent) exist. (This post has a very Anglo-centric view, admittedly--as Gretchen, Meredith, and Dagny likely have different images in their home cultures.) Rachel is a tough cookie, she doesn't take nonsense!
That said, I oddly enough prefer the Rachael spelling. Even though it looks like it should be pronounced the same as Michael, I find it far more visually appealing. (The -el looks small to me after the "ch" in the customary spelling.)
What do you think of Rachel/Rachael? And which spelling do you prefer?
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Rachel certainly has an appeal, even if she isn't "pretty," per se. But not everyone wants a "pretty" name for their daughter. It's why names like Gretchen, Sloan/e, Meredith, April, Dagny, Kendra, and even Margaret (to an extent) exist. (This post has a very Anglo-centric view, admittedly--as Gretchen, Meredith, and Dagny likely have different images in their home cultures.) Rachel is a tough cookie, she doesn't take nonsense!
That said, I oddly enough prefer the Rachael spelling. Even though it looks like it should be pronounced the same as Michael, I find it far more visually appealing. (The -el looks small to me after the "ch" in the customary spelling.)
What do you think of Rachel/Rachael? And which spelling do you prefer?
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/117507
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/132018
This message was edited 10/8/2024, 7:35 PM
Replies
Rachael.
Ahem. I caught that little dig you made against Kendra. You're wrong. Kendra is pretty like a windy autumn sunshower.
I don't even think Rachel is tough or spare seeming. It's about like Jennifer or Nicole. An 80s looking style of pretty. Like black lace and large round beads. Could be a millennial-aged equivalent of Chloe, aesthetically.
I like the sounds in Rachel, but I have never been excited about the name. It's a good name but it's just there, to me. A bit boring, like Katherine or Theresa.
I'm neutral about the spelling of Rachel / Rachael. The first time I encountered the name it was Rachael, so that looks as right to me as the more common Rachel. I think if it were my own name, I'd go with the simpler spelling, just for convenience.
I don't even think Rachel is tough or spare seeming. It's about like Jennifer or Nicole. An 80s looking style of pretty. Like black lace and large round beads. Could be a millennial-aged equivalent of Chloe, aesthetically.
I like the sounds in Rachel, but I have never been excited about the name. It's a good name but it's just there, to me. A bit boring, like Katherine or Theresa.
I'm neutral about the spelling of Rachel / Rachael. The first time I encountered the name it was Rachael, so that looks as right to me as the more common Rachel. I think if it were my own name, I'd go with the simpler spelling, just for convenience.
This message was edited 10/9/2024, 4:03 PM
Definitely Rachel. I think it's pretty, it's just a simple and neutral pretty instead of a frilly feminine pretty.
The pronunciation of Rachael being the same as Rachel doesn't make any sense to me. Why do you need two vowels if it's just going to be an unemphasized schwa? How does that "a" by itself make an "ay" sound while the "ae" barely makes any sound?
Rachael would be nice in a language that pronounces all the letters (like how Michael is pronounced with "ka-ell" at the end in some languages), but as a spelling for the Rachel pronunciation I think it's pretty bad.
Apparently Rachael is just a variant of Rachel influenced by Michael, and the "ka el" in Michael means "like God", so if Rachael is going to be a thing I'd want to both pronounce it "rah-cha-ell or ra-ka-ell" and come up with a meaning for it. Idk if there's a "RA" syllable that would make sense with "like God". Maybe if you wanted it to be a true variant of Rachel you could say it's the Ra from Rahel and the meaning is "a ewe like God"? It would be a totally contrived etymological disaster but it sort of makes sense, the meaning would be about seeing God in innocent creatures or something? idk
The pronunciation of Rachael being the same as Rachel doesn't make any sense to me. Why do you need two vowels if it's just going to be an unemphasized schwa? How does that "a" by itself make an "ay" sound while the "ae" barely makes any sound?
Rachael would be nice in a language that pronounces all the letters (like how Michael is pronounced with "ka-ell" at the end in some languages), but as a spelling for the Rachel pronunciation I think it's pretty bad.
Apparently Rachael is just a variant of Rachel influenced by Michael, and the "ka el" in Michael means "like God", so if Rachael is going to be a thing I'd want to both pronounce it "rah-cha-ell or ra-ka-ell" and come up with a meaning for it. Idk if there's a "RA" syllable that would make sense with "like God". Maybe if you wanted it to be a true variant of Rachel you could say it's the Ra from Rahel and the meaning is "a ewe like God"? It would be a totally contrived etymological disaster but it sort of makes sense, the meaning would be about seeing God in innocent creatures or something? idk
This message was edited 10/9/2024, 3:19 PM
I prefer Rachel. It used to be one of my favorite names and I still like it.
I prefer Rachel. Like Wordsmith, I still find it a pretty name, even unexpectedly refreshing at times, despite it being hugely popular. I especially like it as a middle name.
Rachael doesn't make sense to me at all. It triggers my dyslexia, I think. I don't find it attractive.
PS - I find lots of the names you describe as "not pretty" to be quite pretty.
Rachael doesn't make sense to me at all. It triggers my dyslexia, I think. I don't find it attractive.
PS - I find lots of the names you describe as "not pretty" to be quite pretty.
This message was edited 10/9/2024, 7:14 AM
Despite growing up in a sea of Rachels, I still find the name quite beautiful and even a tad mournful. I also love the meaning.
Rachael makes my eyes burn.
Rachael makes my eyes burn.
Oooh, Rachel Meraud is interesting, I like it!
Living where I do, I prefer Rachael. I probably would anyway, but Rachel is used by Afrikaans-speaking people and they typically pronounce it RAHgel, with the g like the Scottish ch as in loch. So Rachael would be a pronunciation aid!
I happen to think April and Kendra are pretty. :(
Rachel is one of my favorite names, but I hate the Rachael spelling. The extra 'a' just reminds me of how British words always have extra vowels that don't need to be there since they have no function (e.g., Caesium, Oestrogen). I am vehemently against those extra letters; I think they look ugly.
Rachel is one of my favorite names, but I hate the Rachael spelling. The extra 'a' just reminds me of how British words always have extra vowels that don't need to be there since they have no function (e.g., Caesium, Oestrogen). I am vehemently against those extra letters; I think they look ugly.
Do you have the same reaction to Michael? Or are you sufficiently used to it? Of course, Michel looks as if it should sound French.
Rachel
That's the transliteration commonly used in English, yes. (The "original" spelling would be רָחֵל--"Rahel" in Latin.)
I'm fond of both Raquel and Rochelle as well, though I don't consider Rochelle to even be in this name family. It's not etymologically connected to Rachel (French form would be Rachelle, and the initial vowel sounds different), but derived from the French word for "rock."
I'm fond of both Raquel and Rochelle as well, though I don't consider Rochelle to even be in this name family. It's not etymologically connected to Rachel (French form would be Rachelle, and the initial vowel sounds different), but derived from the French word for "rock."
This message was edited 10/8/2024, 7:41 PM