Ruth
Hebrew, traditionally read as “companion” or “friend,” though the derivation is not secure.
Popularity, 1880–2025
The devoted heroine of her own biblical book; around 1900 it sat near the very top, and Babe Ruth made the surname version immortal.
Ruth appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1880 to 1961. It spent 39 years inside the top 10. Its biggest year was 1920, when 26,102 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 5 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1893, at No. 3. In 2025 it ranked No. 173 for girls. All told, 838,901 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Ruthe (1,949) (total births since 1880)
Explore Ruth interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,298 | No. 46 |
| 1890s | 32,867 | No. 3 |
| 1900s | 51,010 | No. 4 |
| 1910s | 173,675 | No. 5 |
| 1920s | 218,520 | No. 5 |
| 1930s | 109,204 | No. 10 |
| 1940s | 85,666 | No. 24 |
| 1950s | 62,538 | No. 49 |
| 1960s | 34,189 | No. 96 |
| 1970s | 13,431 | No. 178 |
| 1980s | 11,204 | No. 207 |
| 1990s | 8,730 | No. 285 |
| 2000s | 9,187 | No. 326 |
| 2010s | 10,857 | No. 231 |
| 2020s | 9,746 | No. 171 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.