Entry № 4946 · Hebrew origin

Ruth Ruth — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ ROOTH /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Hebrew
Meaning
"Friend, compassion"
Syllables
1
Rank · US 2025
№ 184
First recorded
Ancient (Hebrew Bible)

A name that means "friend, compassion".

Ruth (רוּת) is the Hebrew name from the Book of Ruth — the Moabite woman who, after her husband's death, refused to leave her mother-in-law Naomi, and made the famous declaration "Whither thou goest, I will go." She became the ancestor of King David.

The Hebrew root means "friend" or "compassion." Ruth has been continuously in the U.S. top 200 since records began. The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020) brought the name fresh prominence in the 21st century.

Whither thou goest, I will go. A name about staying.

The name in its native script.

רוּת
Transliteration
Rūt
Pronunciation
/ ruːθ /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Ruth stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 184 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 5 in 1893
Babies named Ruth · last year
1812 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №5 NOW · №184

Ruths before her.

Real people
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
1933 – 2020
Babe Ruth
American baseball player (the surname).
1895 – 1948
In fiction
Ruth
Heroine of the Book of Ruth.
Hebrew Bible, c. 6th c. BCE

Names connected to Ruth.

The number behind Ruth.

5

The Free Spirit

Ruth reduces to five — the number of loyalty and brave movement.

Why families chose this name.

"We named her for RBG. The biblical Ruth was her ancestor."
Sarah · Mother of one · New York