Ruth

Ruth: a short biblical name associated with friendship

Ruth comes from the Hebrew Rut and is usually linked with a word meaning “female friend” or “companion.” Its exact derivation is not certain, but that interpretation sits naturally beside the biblical story of Ruth and Naomi, one of the name’s defining associations.

The English form is only one syllable, with a long vowel and a soft th ending. Its compact sound contrasts with the substantial narrative behind it: an entire biblical book follows Ruth’s journey, family ties, and new life in Bethlehem. Ruthie gives the name a familiar two-syllable alternative.

Ruth and Naomi

In the Book of Ruth, Ruth is a Moabite woman whose husband dies. She chooses to accompany her mother-in-law Naomi to Bethlehem, leaving the life she has known to remain with her. Their relationship forms the emotional center of the story.

In Bethlehem, Ruth gathers grain in the fields and meets Boaz, whom she later marries. The closing genealogy places her among the ancestors of King David. The account gives the name connections with companionship, work, migration, and family continuity through the actions of a particular character.

Ruth’s story has made the name important in Jewish tradition as well as in Christian reading of the Bible. English use widened after the Protestant Reformation, when names from scripture became more common in everyday naming.

An English word association

English also has an older word ruth, meaning pity or compassion, now encountered most often through its opposite, “ruthless.” That word is separate from the Hebrew name’s origin, but it helped give Ruth an additional association for English speakers.

The two strands have often reinforced one another in the way the name is heard: the biblical companion and the English idea of compassion. Both belong to its cultural history, while the personal name itself comes from Hebrew.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave the name a major modern connection with American law. Before joining the Supreme Court, she taught at Rutgers and Columbia and co-founded the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project in 1971.

She took her seat on the Supreme Court in 1993 and served until her death in 2020. Her career makes Ruth a recognizable name in accounts of women’s legal rights and the history of the Court. That public association adds a twentieth- and twenty-first-century bearer to the much older biblical tradition.

Pronunciation and related forms

English Ruth is pronounced ROOTH, with the vowel heard in “moon” and the th of “thin.” Ruthie keeps that full first syllable and adds an informal ee ending. The short formal name and longer familiar form provide a noticeable change in rhythm.

Rut is used in Hebrew and several European languages. Finnish Ruut and Portuguese Rute are other relatives, each adapted to its own language’s spelling and sound.

American popularity

Ruth reached number three among American girls in 1893. Its largest annual count came in 1920, with 26,102 births. In 2025, it ranked 173 for girls, with 1,781 births, up from rank 291 in 2015.

That recent movement places Ruth among older favorites seeing renewed use. Its concise spelling, distinctive ending, and substantial biblical story remain central to its identity.

How popular is Ruth?

In 2025, Ruth ranked #173 among girls in the United States, with 1,781 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1880; its largest annual count was 26,102 in 1920. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.