Ruth
A girls’ name of Hebrew origin, meaning friend or companion.
How Ruth has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #292 |
| 2016 | #296 |
| 2017 | #264 |
| 2018 | #262 |
| 2019 | #231 |
| 2020 | #219 |
| 2021 | #188 |
| 2022 | #179 |
| 2023 | #187 |
| 2024 | #172 |
| 2025 | #173 |
Ruth by the numbers
In 2025, 73 babies in England and Wales were named Ruth. In the US, 1,194 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 26,101 babies in 1920, so it is a 1920s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1915, about 1 in 47 American girls born that year was called Ruth.
Names that come from Ruth
Forms of Ruth in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Ruth. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean friendship
Like Ruth, each of these has friendship in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Dakotafriends; allies2,330 in the US (2017)
- Karafriend or dear; a form of Cara606 in the US (2017)
- Winniegentle friend; diminutive of Winfred or Winifred416 in England and Wales (2025)
- Bellamybeautiful friend; from bel ami381 in the US (2017)
- Samiraentertaining companion; fem. of Samir260 in the US (2017)
- Wendyfriend or friendly; created by J.M. Barrie for Peter Pan229 in the US (2017)
Names about as common as Ruth
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