Ruth
Hebrew, borne by the Moabite woman of the biblical book named for her. It is usually traced to a word meaning friend or companion.
Ruth in 2025
Ruth was given to 1,781 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 382nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 1,862 babies born.
The history of Ruth
Ruth reached its highest point in 1920, when 26,156 babies were given the name, ranking 11th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 7th, in 1908.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 838,901 babies have been named Ruth. Half of them were born before 1926, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Greatest Generation.
Ruth by decade
| Decade | Babies named Ruth | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,308 | 63 |
| 1890s | 32,974 | 8 |
| 1900s | 51,177 | 7 |
| 1910s | 174,122 | 8 |
| 1920s | 219,217 | 11 |
| 1930s | 109,764 | 22 |
| 1940s | 85,966 | 46 |
| 1950s | 62,668 | 96 |
| 1960s | 34,328 | 183 |
| 1970s | 13,516 | 338 |
| 1980s | 11,312 | 402 |
| 1990s | 8,754 | 553 |
| 2000s | 9,192 | 627 |
| 2010s | 10,857 | 510 |
| 2020s | 9,746 | 382 |
Where Ruth is heading
Ruth has risen 60% over the past decade, from 1,110 babies in 2015 to 1,781 in 2025.
Names like Ruth
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Ruth.