Ruby
Girl name · English · French · Latin
Meaningred gemstone · English
- US rank
- #64
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #22 in 1911
3,554 babies were named Ruby in the US in 2025. It has climbed 10 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ruby you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Ruby
Ruby Dee
American actress (1922–2014)
Choose Ruby and your child shares a first name with Ruby Dee, an American actress. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ruby, like who?” Ruby Dee's Wikipedia article is available in 37 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Ruby Dee on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 452 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Ruby, 3,554 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Ruby.
- HistoryRuby has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Rubys, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1911, when it reached #22.
- Then vs nowRuby is 3.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,435 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 452.
- Where it's lovedRuby is most popular in Vermont, where it ranks #18, followed by Utah (#21) and Wyoming (#24). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn English, Ruby means “red gemstone”. Our records link it to English, French and Latin roots.
About the name Ruby
Ruby is a girl name of English, French and Latin origin meaning “red gemstone”. It has 4 letters and 2 syllables, starting with R and ending in “-uby”. US birth records list Ruby for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1911, when it ranked #22 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #64, with 3,554 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,857 | 539 girls |
| 1890s | 3,860 | 259 girls |
| 1900s | 6,150 | 163 girls |
| 1910s | 7,479 | 134 girls |
| 1920s | 6,409 | 156 girls |
| 1930s | 4,472 | 224 girls |
| 1940s | 2,273 | 440 girls |
| 1950s | 1,079 | 927 girls |
| 1960s | 549 | 1,823 girls |
| 1970s | 417 | 2,401 girls |
| 1980s | 367 | 2,722 girls |
| 1990s | 587 | 1,703 girls |
| 2000s | 1,187 | 843 girls |
| 2010s | 1,915 | 522 girls |
| 2020s | 2,159 | 463 girls |
Other spellings of Ruby
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Unisex name: Harper · harp player
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
Questions about the name Ruby
What does the name Ruby mean?
Ruby means “red gemstone” in English.
What is the origin of the name Ruby?
Ruby has English, French, Latin roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Ruby a boy or girl name?
Ruby is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Ruby?
Ruby ranked #64 for US girls in 2025, given to 3,554 babies. Its best year was 1911 (#22).