Ruth Name Meaning

The name Ruth is derived from the Hebrew word “rut,” which means “friend” or “companion.” This meaning is fitting, as the book of Ruth is all about the bond between two women, Ruth and Naomi, who become companions and support each other through difficult times.

An emblem of loyalty and unselfishness, in allusion to the biblical character who said to Naomi: Whither thou goest, 1 will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy Lord my Lord.

History of the Name Ruth

Ruth is a name with a rich history and meaning. It is a Hebrew name, which means “friend” or “companion.” The name first appeared in the Bible in the book of Ruth, which tells the story of a Moabite woman who becomes a companion and eventual wife to a Jewish man named Boaz. The book of Ruth is considered one of the most beautiful and moving books in the Bible, and it is the origin of the name Ruth.

Origins of the Name Ruth

The book of Ruth tells the story of a woman named Ruth, who was from the land of Moab. She was a foreigner who married into a Jewish family and ultimately became the great-grandmother of King David. The story is known for its themes of loyalty, love, and redemption.

Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi, is particularly striking. When Naomi’s husband and two sons die, she decides to return to her homeland of Judah, and urges her daughters-in-law to stay behind. But Ruth refuses to leave Naomi’s side, saying “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).

This loyalty and devotion is what makes Ruth’s story so powerful and enduring.

Popularity of the Name Ruth

The name Ruth has been popular in the English-speaking world for over a century. It was a top 50 name in the United States from 1880 to 1950 and has seen a resurgence in recent years.

Ruth is a classic name that has stood the test of time. Its popularity is partly due to the timeless story of Ruth in the Bible, but it’s also a strong name with a positive meaning.

Ruth has been featured in several works of literature, music, and film. The book of Ruth has been adapted into plays, operas, and even a musical. In literature, there is also a novel by Jane Hamilton called “The Book of Ruth” and a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell called “Ruth.”

In music, there are a few songs named after Ruth, like “Ruthie” by Aimee Mann, “Ruth” by Fleet Foxes and “Ruthie” by The Lumineers.

In film, Ruth has been featured in a few movies such as “The Story of Ruth” (1960) and “Ruth and Alex” (2014).

Final Thoughts on the Name Ruth

Ruth is also a popular name among famous people, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ruth Buzzi, and Ruth Gordon.

In conclusion, Ruth is a name with a rich history and meaning. It’s a classic name that’s been around for centuries and has stood the test of time. With its positive meaning, it’s no wonder that it’s been popular for so long. Whether you’re a fan of the book of Ruth, or just like the sound of the name, Ruth is a great choice for a baby girl’s name.

Infographic of Ruth name meaning, which is Meaning friend, Ruth is a Hebrew name that also appears in the Bible.
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Ruth Name Popularity

How popular is the name Ruth? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 5 7,209 2.0475%
1911 5 7,995 2.147%
1912 5 11,276 2.236%
1913 5 12,607 2.2236%
1914 5 15,835 2.2722%
1915 5 21,878 2.408%
1916 5 23,190 2.4006%
1917 5 23,568 2.3558%
1918 5 25,534 2.3792%
1919 5 24,565 2.346%
1920 5 26,101 2.3475%
1921 5 25,783 2.2517%
1922 5 23,629 2.1209%
1923 6 23,637 2.1104%
1924 6 23,601 2.0324%
1925 6 22,248 1.9684%
1926 6 20,218 1.8382%
1927 6 19,417 1.7541%
1928 6 17,861 1.6693%
1929 8 16,015 1.5461%
1930 10 14,937 1.43%
1931 11 13,125 1.3298%
1932 11 12,255 1.2404%
1933 13 11,137 1.1954%
1934 13 10,567 1.0931%
1935 15 9,985 1.0275%
1936 16 9,213 0.9564%
1937 15 9,598 0.974%
1938 21 9,301 0.9085%
1939 22 9,056 0.8903%
1940 24 8,879 0.8354%
1941 28 8,860 0.7872%
1942 33 9,308 0.7371%
1943 33 9,365 0.7174%
1944 32 8,671 0.6996%
1945 33 8,041 0.6593%
1946 38 8,472 0.5742%
1947 44 8,481 0.5081%
1948 45 7,904 0.4951%
1949 47 7,651 0.4756%
1950 49 7,127 0.4426%
1951 53 7,075 0.4173%
1952 57 6,953 0.3983%
1953 62 6,577 0.3716%
1954 66 6,567 0.3592%
1955 70 6,183 0.3361%
1956 77 6,072 0.3215%
1957 84 5,667 0.2945%
1958 90 5,246 0.2776%
1959 97 5,052 0.2659%
1960 97 4,943 0.2609%
1961 96 4,888 0.2589%
1962 104 4,292 0.2338%
1963 113 3,866 0.2154%
1964 114 3,625 0.2059%
1965 118 3,230 0.1975%
1966 128 2,837 0.1817%
1967 144 2,415 0.1591%
1968 149 2,143 0.1427%
1969 167 1,897 0.1231%
1970 177 1,804 0.1134%
1971 189 1,615 0.1075%
1972 200 1,365 0.1002%
1973 202 1,241 0.0957%
1974 195 1,282 0.0986%
1975 200 1,207 0.0939%
1976 207 1,170 0.0908%
1977 212 1,162 0.0862%
1978 212 1,188 0.0884%
1979 218 1,178 0.0835%
1980 209 1,224 0.0837%
1981 207 1,245 0.0847%
1982 221 1,157 0.0774%
1983 224 1,096 0.0743%
1984 223 1,137 0.0764%
1985 232 1,089 0.0717%
1986 239 1,053 0.0698%
1987 249 995 0.0652%
1988 256 968 0.0621%
1989 274 953 0.0591%
1990 310 852 0.0514%
1991 289 939 0.0576%
1992 324 805 0.0504%
1993 314 817 0.0524%
1994 316 829 0.054%
1995 324 805 0.0534%
1996 349 762 0.0509%
1997 335 817 0.0552%
1998 344 816 0.0545%
1999 345 836 0.0558%
2000 348 856 0.056%
2001 328 918 0.0609%
2002 337 867 0.0579%
2003 350 843 0.0554%
2004 350 877 0.0575%
2005 351 866 0.0566%
2006 360 867 0.0554%
2007 344 923 0.0585%
2008 360 881 0.057%
2009 349 890 0.0595%
2010 339 904 0.0627%
2011 349 877 0.0616%
2012 333 902 0.0633%
2013 322 962 0.0676%
2014 307 1,027 0.0705%
2015 287 1,066 0.0733%
2016 292 1,063 0.0737%
2017 257 1,184 0.0848%
2018 258 1,212 0.0882%
2019 224 1,315 0.0971%
2020 222 1,266 0.0995%
2021 186 1,440 0.1178%
2022 178 1,643 0.1245%
2023 185 1,594 0.1232%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Ruth

If you like Ruth, you’ll love these other names like Ruth.

What names are variants of Ruth?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Ruth.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Ruthe

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthelle

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthellen

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthetta

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthi

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthie

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthina

Friend, companion

Hebrew

Ruthine

Friend, companion

Hebrew

What names sound like Ruth?

If you like how Ruth sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Ruth.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Reta

Greek

Retha

Excellence; righteous

Greek

Rita

Right

Spanish

Rudi

German

Ruta

Regret

English

What names are similar to Ruth?

Find a name that’s like Ruth, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Raisa

Rose

Yiddish

Ruthann

Lists With Ruth

Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Ruth.

Siblings of Ruth

Mamas with kids named Ruth also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Sophia

Wisdom

Greek

21 Comments

  1. Ruth means friend in Hebrew. We pray that she would be a friend to many as she shares the good news that Jesus came to save them.

    Reply

  2. we live in my husband’s great-grandma Ruth’s house & like the story of Ruth in the Bible. We also like that it’s a timeless name.

    Reply

  3. Ruth is one of my (if not my) favorite book(s) in the Bible. I love her faith and God’s provision and protection.
    Her name means “compassionate friend”.

    She is the sweetest, most joyful baby ever. And her Papa and I love when she sees us have friends over or gets held by or smiles at our friends. She is learning what her name means ?

    Her middle name is Elise which means “God’s Promise“. Which makes me ponder what His Promises are and think about His goodness to His children and His goodness to Ruth.

    Reply

  4. Ruth is one of our favorite women of the Bible. It’s a traditional name that is uncommon but beautiful, and that will age well with her.

    Reply

  5. I wanted a Bible name of a strong woman and that was not Esther because we already have a child named Esther. I also wanted something short, and we love it!

    Reply

  6. We chose the name Ruth due to its strong matriarch origin along with it being a spiritually strong name.
    We named her after her Bubby (great great grandma) whose name is Ruth Naomi. It’s such a strong first name and I can’t wait to continue to watch her grow into it.

    Reply

  7. We chose the name Ruth because of the Godly woman she is named after in the bible

    Reply

  8. We both loved the name Ruth. We liked that it was an older name not used very often.

    Reply

  9. We love the simplicity and depth of Ruth. A wonderful character in the Bible and the meaning of friend!

    Reply

  10. Ruth means friendship or companionship.
    Ruth is Lord Jesus’ ancestor who also came from the line of King David

    Reply

  11. My grandmother’s name was Ruth, and she was the most wonderful woman. I have wanted a “Ruthie” of my own since I can remember, and I’m over the moon that she’s here (I was convinced she was a boy during my whole pregnancy!) I can’t wait to tell her about her great-grandmother!

    Reply

    • That’s wonderful!!! ??

      Reply

  12. This is the only name my husband and I could agree on. We love it because it’s an older name, but it’s timeless. We were also looking for a Saint/biblical namesake for our little girl.

    Reply

  13. Family name

    Reply

  14. Ruth was a strong and love woman of God, she never change her love for Naomi(Mohau’s baptismal name) as she was nothing left for her.

    Reply

  15. RUTH is a very special name to my husband and I because it is his mother’s name and also his aunty’s name who is married to my uncle and both of them passed.

    Reply

    • It’s a beautiful name what makes it beautiful is the meaning of the name compassionate friend

      Reply

      • Ruth is also my middle name is suits with raffaela meaning god heals in Hebrew

        Reply

      • My name is a really special name cause I live in accordance to it’s meaning which is a companion or a friend of which I am one ??

        Reply

  16. We named our daughter after her great grandmother, Ruth. We also loved that it was a biblical name and not very trendy or popular right now.

    Cecilia (middle name) is after St. Cecilia, the saint of music. My husband and I are both music lovers and this was a great tribute to that and our Catholic faith.

    Reply

  17. It was my husband’s grandmother’s name, plus it’s a Bible name. Our first four girls have Bible names, so this was our next choice. She (Ruth of the Bible) was so devoted, hard-working, responsible; a lovely woman to be named after.

    Reply

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