Ruth
From Ruth the Moabite, Hebrew רות, of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "companion".
Every Ruth since 1880 — 838,901 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ruth
Ruth is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #173 in 2025 with 1,781 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 838,901 American babies have been named Ruth. Its peak came in 1920, when 26,156 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ruth stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ruth year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,781 | #173 | — | — |
| 2024 | 1,787 | #172 | — | — |
| 2023 | 1,604 | #187 | — | — |
| 2022 | 1,668 | #179 | — | — |
| 2021 | 1,579 | #187 | — | — |
| 2020 | 1,327 | #219 | — | — |
| 2019 | 1,351 | #231 | — | — |
| 2018 | 1,251 | #261 | — | — |
| 2017 | 1,213 | #264 | — | — |
| 2016 | 1,103 | #295 | — | — |
| 2015 | 1,110 | #291 | — | — |
| 2014 | 1,064 | #307 | — | — |
| 2013 | 993 | #327 | — | — |
| 2012 | 931 | #340 | — | — |
| 2011 | 907 | #355 | — | — |
| 2010 | 934 | #345 | — | — |
| 2009 | 916 | #354 | — | — |
| 2008 | 929 | #356 | 5 | #14,211 |
| 2007 | 964 | #344 | — | — |
| 2006 | 892 | #363 | — | — |
| 2005 | 908 | #347 | — | — |
| 2004 | 915 | #350 | — | — |
| 2003 | 897 | #344 | — | — |
| 2002 | 906 | #334 | — | — |
| 2001 | 951 | #326 | — | — |
| 2000 | 909 | #339 | — | — |
| 1995 | 853 | #321 | 6 | #8,676 |
| 1990 | 907 | #305 | 8 | #6,305 |
| 1985 | 1,116 | #233 | 9 | #4,626 |
| 1980 | 1,258 | #207 | 8 | #4,860 |
| 1975 | 1,230 | #199 | 5 | #6,163 |
| 1970 | 1,817 | #178 | 11 | #3,036 |
| 1965 | 3,231 | #118 | 12 | #2,450 |
| 1960 | 4,943 | #97 | 17 | #2,025 |
| 1955 | 6,187 | #70 | 17 | #1,965 |
| 1950 | 7,128 | #49 | 10 | #2,554 |
| 1945 | 8,046 | #33 | 18 | #1,622 |
| 1940 | 8,888 | #24 | 36 | #1,105 |
| 1935 | 9,988 | #15 | 52 | #880 |
| 1930 | 14,942 | #10 | 70 | #770 |
| 1925 | 22,247 | #6 | 77 | #753 |
| 1920 | 26,102 | #5 | 54 | #945 |
| 1915 | 21,878 | #5 | 46 | #923 |
| 1910 | 7,212 | #5 | 35 | #469 |
| 1905 | 5,068 | #5 | 20 | #522 |
| 1900 | 4,765 | #5 | 16 | #645 |
| 1895 | 3,551 | #6 | 7 | #966 |
| 1890 | 1,195 | #46 | 5 | #1,133 |
| 1885 | 506 | #70 | 5 | #1,076 |
| 1880 | 234 | #93 | — | — |
Famous people named Ruth
- Ruth Politician · -1200–-1200
- Ruth Benedict Anthropologist · 1887–1948
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg Judge · b. 1933
- Ruth Rendell Writer · 1930–2015
- Ruth Gordon Actor · 1896–1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ruth mean?
From Ruth the Moabite, Hebrew רות, of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "companion".
How popular is the name Ruth in 2025?
Ruth ranked #173 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,781 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ruth?
838,901 babies have been named Ruth in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ruth most popular?
Ruth peaked in 1920, when 26,156 newborns received the name.
Is Ruth a boy or girl name?
Ruth is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ruth rising or falling?
Ruth is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ruth?
Well-known people named Ruth include Ruth (politician), Ruth Benedict (anthropologist), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (judge).