Rachel: I picked this up as my English name because of the American TV show "Friends." One of the characters in this soap opera is called Rachel. She is a very charming girl who is very open-minded. I hope one day I can be a charming girl just like her.

Dear Rachel: This name comes from the Hebrew word meaning "ewe," or "female sheep." This is not to say that you are actually called a sheep if you use the name - most English speakers do not know that this is the meaning of "Rachel." In Jewish scripture, Rachel was the beautiful wife of Jacob. Most English speakers name their children according to their associations with names rather than meanings,nd they do just as you have done - they name a child after someone they like! Other forms of "Rachel" are "Raquel" and "Rachele." Nicknames could be "Rae" or "Shelley."