Definition of "Rachel"

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.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Genesis 29:16–18

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

1849 The Massachusetts Teacher, Massachusetts Teachers' Association, Vol. 2,page 26, January 1849

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.

1979, Doris Lessing, Shikasta, Knopf, published 1979, page 293

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.

2010, Rob Sachs, What Would Rob Do?, John Wiley & Sons