Ruth

Did you know?

A few things about Ruth you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Ruth

Ruth Gordon

American actress and writer (1896–1985)

Choose Ruth and your child shares a first name with Ruth Gordon, an American actress and writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ruth, like who?” Ruth Gordon's Wikipedia article is available in 52 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Ruth Gordon on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Photographer Eileen Darby., Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 902 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Ruth, 1,781 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ruth would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryRuth has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Ruths, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1893, when it ranked #3. Today it's #173, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowRuth is 2.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,998 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 902.
• 🚀TrendRuth has climbed 46 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #173. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedRuth is most popular in North Dakota, where it ranks #33, followed by South Dakota (#51) and Idaho (#64). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Hebrew, Ruth means “companion, friend”. Our records link it to English and Hebrew roots.

About the name Ruth

Ruth is a girl name of English and Hebrew origin meaning “companion, friend”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with R and ending in “-uth”. US birth records list Ruth for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1893, when it ranked #3 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #173, with 1,781 babies.

Origin:English namesHebrew names