Girl name · Hebrew
Ruth
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: friendRuth is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "friend". It is used in English and German.
- Meaning
- Friend
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #173 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Ruth
As a girl's name, Ruth comes from Hebrew and means "friend". It is used in English and German.
Ruth is also a surname: the 2,483rd most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 14,156 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Ruth on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Ruth on 4 lists.
“Probably friend; Hebrew. Moabite heroine, great-grandmother of David”
From Biblical names, female biblical names
“Short, strong and timeless”
From Porch goose names, vintage and classic porch goose names
“Friend; Hebrew. Strong biblical classic”
From Girl middle names, one-syllable girl middle names
“Friend; Hebrew. #3 in 1893 and back in the top 200”
From Vintage girl names, victorian girl names
How popular is Ruth?
- US rank in 2025
- #173
- 1,781 babies, 1,108 per million girls
- Best rank
- #3 in 1893
- Most babies: 26,102 in 1920
- Babies since 1880
- At least 836,122
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 4,036 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 14,795 per million |
| 1900s | 17,424 per million |
| 1910s | 21,293 per million |
| 1920s | 18,282 per million |
| 1930s | 10,241 per million |
| 1940s | 5,914 per million |
| 1950s | 3,251 per million |
| 1960s | 1,872 per million |
| 1970s | 869 per million |
| 1980s | 652 per million |
| 1990s | 485 per million |
| 2000s | 497 per million |
| 2010s | 620 per million |
| 2020s | 1,002 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #295 | #264 | #261 | #231 | #219 | #187 | #179 | #187 | #172 | #173 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Ruth
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AmitFriend (Hebrew, unisex)
- RuthieFriend (Hebrew, girl)
Names spelled like Ruth
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
Names with a similar meaning
- OscarPossibly deer friend (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- BaldwinBold friend (Germanic, boy)
- BellamyBeautiful friend (Old French, unisex)
- CaraFriend in Irish; beloved in Italian (Irish and Italian, girl)
- KhalilFriend, companion (Arabic, boy)
- AldenOld friend (Old English, boy)
- AlvinElf friend (Old English, boy)
- AudenFrom Ealdwine, old friend, or Norse Hálfdan (Old English, unisex)
- AudunWealth and friend (Old Norse, boy)
- DakotaFriend, ally (Sioux, unisex)
Middle names for Ruth
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AmberAmber, golden fossil resin (Arabic, girl)
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- CosimaOrder, decency (Greek, girl)
- EvangelineGood news (Greek, girl)
- FenellaWhite shoulder (Scottish Gaelic, girl)
- IsabelGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- PrudenceForesight, good sense (Latin, girl)
- WilhelminaResolute protector (Germanic, girl)
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- AnneFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
Ruth: common questions
What does the name Ruth mean?
Ruth comes from Hebrew and means "friend".
Is Ruth a boy or girl name?
Ruth is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Ruth come from?
Ruth comes from Hebrew and means "friend". Today it is used in English and German.
How popular is the name Ruth?
Ruth ranked #173 in the US in 2025, with 1,781 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Ruth?
Forms of Ruth with the same meaning and origin include Amit (Hebrew) and Ruthie (English).
What middle names go with Ruth?
Middle names that flow well with Ruth include Amber, Amelia, Cosima, Evangeline and Fenella. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.