girl's name
Ruth
ROOTH
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 1
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 857,586
the United States
#173
2025 births
Ruth is a girl's name of Hebrew origin usually given as "companion" or "friend," though the derivation is not secure. It names one of only two books of the Hebrew Bible titled after a woman.
- Ruth is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1920, when 26,156 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 1,862 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ruth over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,308 |
| 1890s | 32,974 |
| 1900s | 51,177 |
| 1910s | 174,122 |
| 1920s | 219,217 |
| 1930s | 109,764 |
| 1940s | 85,966 |
| 1950s | 62,668 |
| 1960s | 34,328 |
| 1970s | 13,516 |
| 1980s | 11,312 |
| 1990s | 8,754 |
| 2000s | 9,192 |
| 2010s | 10,857 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 9,746 |
What Ruth means
Ruth is most often read as friend or companion, from a root meaning to associate with. The derivation is not certain, and the English word ruth, meaning compassion, is a separate Germanic word that merely reinforces the sense.
Where Ruth comes from
Ruth transliterates the Hebrew Rut, generally connected to reʿut, companionship or friendship, though the derivation is disputed and the name may be older than any Hebrew root offered for it. The Book of Ruth tells of a Moabite widow who refuses to leave her Israelite mother-in-law — whither thou goest, I will go — and becomes the great-grandmother of David. Separately, English has its own word ruth, meaning pity or compassion, from the Old Norse hryggð; it survives now only in ruthless, and it is unconnected to the name.
Ruth in use
Our data marks Ruth as reviving, peaking in 1920, and it first appears in our records in 1880 and has never dropped out. Babe Ruth, born 1895, is the rare case of a woman's name becoming inseparable from a man — his given name was George.
How popular is Ruth?
In 2025, Ruth was given to 1,781 babies in the United States, ranking #173 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Ruth is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Ruth
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ruth also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ruth over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Ruth
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ruth in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ruth
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ruth — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ruth
What does the name Ruth mean?
Usually "companion" or "friend," from the Hebrew reʿut — though the derivation is not secure.
Who was Ruth in the Bible?
A Moabite widow who refused to leave her Israelite mother-in-law and became the great-grandmother of David.
Is the word ruthless related?
No. English ruth, meaning pity, is a separate Germanic word from the Old Norse hryggð.
How popular is the name Ruth?
In 2025, Ruth was given to 1,781 babies in the United States, ranking #173 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Ruth a girl's or a boy's name?
Ruth is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Ruth?
Ruth has 1 syllable.
When was Ruth most popular?
Ruth peaked in 1920, when 26,156 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Ruth?
Ruth is usually shortened to Ruthie and Ru.
Is Ruth a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ruth currently ranks #173 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.