Ruth — Girl name popularity
2025 rank #173 · peak #3 (1893) · 836,122 babies all-time
Ruth is a girls' name that, in 2025, was ranked #173 (1,781 babies) in the United States, according to the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #3 in 1893 (3,658 babies). Across the years tracked here it has been given to about 836,122 babies. Ruth is far below its peak and has become less common. The table below shows Ruth's SSA rank and birth count year by year. (We report only counts SSA publishes; years where the name fell below SSA's 5-baby threshold show no count.)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
Ruth popularity over time
Rank and number of girls named Ruth per year, from SSA national data. Recent years are shown individually; earlier history is shown at decade points back to 1880.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #173 | 1,781 |
| 2024 | #172 | 1,787 |
| 2023 | #187 | 1,604 |
| 2022 | #179 | 1,668 |
| 2021 | #187 | 1,579 |
| 2020 | #219 | 1,327 |
| 2019 | #231 | 1,351 |
| 2018 | #261 | 1,251 |
| 2017 | #264 | 1,213 |
| 2016 | #295 | 1,103 |
| 2015 | #291 | 1,110 |
| 2014 | #307 | 1,064 |
| 2013 | #327 | 993 |
| 2012 | #340 | 931 |
| 2011 | #355 | 907 |
| 2010 | #345 | 934 |
| 2009 | #354 | 916 |
| 2008 | #356 | 929 |
| 2007 | #344 | 964 |
| 2006 | #363 | 892 |
| 2005 | #347 | 908 |
| 2004 | #350 | 915 |
| 2003 | #344 | 897 |
| 2002 | #334 | 906 |
| 2001 | #326 | 951 |
| 2000 | #339 | 909 |
| 1999 | #344 | 875 |
| 1998 | #342 | 853 |
| 1997 | #334 | 857 |
| 1996 | #346 | 802 |
| 1990 | #305 | 907 |
| 1980 | #207 | 1,258 |
| 1970 | #178 | 1,817 |
| 1960 | #97 | 4,943 |
| 1950 | #49 | 7,128 |
| 1940 | #24 | 8,888 |
| 1930 | #10 | 14,942 |
| 1920 | #5 | 26,102 |
| 1910 | #5 | 7,212 |
| 1900 | #5 | 4,765 |
| 1890 | #46 | 1,195 |
| 1880 | #93 | 234 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names. Data as of SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026.
Key facts
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Sex | Girl |
| 2025 rank | #173 |
| 2025 babies | 1,781 |
| Peak rank | #3 (1893) |
| Peak-year babies | 3,658 |
| First tracked year | 1880 |
| All-time babies (tracked years) | 836,122 |
Similar in popularity (2025)
| Girl name | 2025 rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Gemma | #170 | 1,805 |
| Rosalie | #171 | 1,797 |
| Vivienne | #172 | 1,786 |
| Ariella | #174 | 1,756 |
| Callie | #175 | 1,754 |
| Freya | #176 | 1,746 |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ruth for girls?
In 2025, Ruth was the 173rd most popular girls' name in the US, given to 1,781 babies, per the Social Security Administration. Its all-time peak was #3 in 1893 (3,658 babies).
When was Ruth most popular?
For girls, Ruth peaked at rank #3 in 1893 (3,658 babies). The first year it appears in SSA data (within our tracked years) is 1880. It has been given to about 836,122 babies in total across the years we track.
Is Ruth a boy or girl name?
In the SSA data we track, Ruth appears predominantly as a girls' name; it does not have a separate ranked entry for boys in our dataset.
Keep exploring
Source
U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names, national data 1880–2025. SSA national data through 2025, state data through 2025, retrieved June 2026. Public domain (U.S. Government). SSA has no name meanings or origins; this page presents only popularity data. See our methodology.
Last updated: 2026-06-22