Ruth
#173 for girls in 2025, 1,781 births · Last seen for boys in 2008 at #12,553
Given to girls 99.7% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1893 · 3,658 births
- Debut · girls
- 234 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 82 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 836,122since 1880
Ruth over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #173 | 1,781 | — | |
| 2024 | #171 | 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 | #305 | 1,064 | — | |
| 2013 | #327 | 993 | — | |
| 2012 | #338 | 931 | — | |
| 2011 | #355 | 907 | — | |
| 2010 | #345 | 934 | — | |
| 2009 | #354 | 916 | — | |
| 2008 | #355 | 929 | #12,553 | 5 |
| 2007 | #344 | 964 | — | |
| 2006 | #363 | 892 | — | |
| 2005 | #347 | 908 | — | |
| 2004 | #349 | 915 | — | |
| 2003 | #344 | 897 | — | |
| 2002 | #334 | 906 | — | |
| 2001 | #326 | 951 | — | |
| 2000 | #339 | 909 | — | |
| 1999 | #343 | 875 | — | |
| 1998 | #342 | 853 | — | |
| 1997 | #333 | 857 | — | |
| 1996 | #346 | 802 | — | |
| 1995 | #320 | 853 | #7,792 | 6 |
| 1994 | #308 | 882 | — | |
| 1993 | #308 | 861 | #8,700 | 5 |
| 1992 | #319 | 855 | — | |
| 1991 | #285 | 985 | #8,236 | 5 |
| 1990 | #305 | 907 | #5,823 | 8 |
| 1989 | #273 | 987 | #4,271 | 12 |
| 1988 | #256 | 997 | #3,523 | 14 |
| 1987 | #248 | 1,031 | #4,573 | 9 |
| 1986 | #238 | 1,084 | #3,440 | 13 |
| 1985 | #232 | 1,116 | #4,333 | 9 |
| 1984 | #222 | 1,165 | #3,701 | 11 |
| 1983 | #223 | 1,121 | #3,630 | 11 |
| 1982 | #222 | 1,178 | #2,972 | 15 |
| 1981 | #207 | 1,267 | #5,468 | 6 |
| 1980 | #207 | 1,258 | #4,495 | 8 |
| 1979 | #216 | 1,202 | #4,403 | 8 |
| 1978 | #212 | 1,208 | #3,400 | 11 |
| 1977 | #212 | 1,192 | #4,164 | 8 |
| 1976 | #205 | 1,198 | #3,264 | 11 |
| 1975 | #199 | 1,230 | #5,464 | 5 |
| 1974 | #195 | 1,299 | #5,227 | 5 |
| 1973 | #201 | 1,273 | #2,606 | 14 |
| 1972 | #201 | 1,383 | — | |
| 1971 | #190 | 1,629 | #2,813 | 12 |
| 1970 | #178 | 1,817 | #2,891 | 11 |
| 1969 | #168 | 1,900 | #3,314 | 8 |
| 1968 | #149 | 2,151 | #3,107 | 8 |
| 1967 | #145 | 2,420 | #2,030 | 15 |
| 1966 | #128 | 2,845 | #2,465 | 11 |
| 1965 | #118 | 3,231 | #2,366 | 12 |
| 1964 | #114 | 3,640 | #1,975 | 17 |
| 1963 | #113 | 3,869 | #1,957 | 17 |
| 1962 | #104 | 4,294 | #1,713 | 22 |
| 1961 | #96 | 4,896 | #2,409 | 12 |
| 1960 | #97 | 4,943 | #1,973 | 17 |
| 1959 | #97 | 5,057 | #2,414 | 12 |
| 1958 | #90 | 5,247 | #2,265 | 13 |
| 1957 | #84 | 5,667 | #1,791 | 20 |
| 1956 | #77 | 6,075 | #2,263 | 13 |
| 1955 | #70 | 6,187 | #1,902 | 17 |
| 1954 | #66 | 6,566 | #2,942 | 8 |
| 1953 | #62 | 6,582 | #2,709 | 9 |
| 1952 | #57 | 6,953 | #1,856 | 17 |
| 1951 | #53 | 7,076 | #2,367 | 11 |
| 1950 | #49 | 7,128 | #2,438 | 10 |
| 1949 | #47 | 7,651 | #1,616 | 21 |
| 1948 | #45 | 7,903 | #2,027 | 14 |
| 1947 | #44 | 8,482 | #1,482 | 25 |
| 1946 | #38 | 8,474 | #1,278 | 30 |
| 1945 | #33 | 8,046 | #1,581 | 18 |
| 1944 | #32 | 8,674 | #1,173 | 32 |
| 1943 | #33 | 9,370 | #1,037 | 42 |
| 1942 | #33 | 9,315 | #1,026 | 43 |
| 1941 | #28 | 8,863 | #1,040 | 39 |
| 1940 | #24 | 8,888 | #1,090 | 36 |
| 1939 | #22 | 9,062 | #867 | 50 |
| 1938 | #21 | 9,303 | #963 | 43 |
| 1937 | #15 | 9,602 | #880 | 49 |
| 1936 | #16 | 9,217 | #940 | 43 |
| 1935 | #15 | 9,988 | #872 | 52 |
| 1934 | #13 | 10,565 | #762 | 65 |
| 1933 | #13 | 11,136 | #860 | 52 |
| 1932 | #11 | 12,257 | #708 | 76 |
| 1931 | #11 | 13,132 | #808 | 60 |
| 1930 | #10 | 14,942 | #765 | 70 |
| 1929 | #8 | 16,021 | #763 | 70 |
| 1928 | #6 | 17,859 | #786 | 68 |
| 1927 | #6 | 19,412 | #668 | 91 |
| 1926 | #6 | 20,225 | #749 | 73 |
| 1925 | #6 | 22,247 | #746 | 77 |
| 1924 | #6 | 23,601 | #797 | 71 |
| 1923 | #6 | 23,637 | #860 | 62 |
| 1922 | #5 | 23,633 | #780 | 73 |
| 1921 | #5 | 25,783 | #920 | 58 |
| 1920 | #5 | 26,102 | #940 | 54 |
| 1919 | #5 | 24,562 | #822 | 63 |
| 1918 | #5 | 25,535 | #975 | 47 |
| 1917 | #5 | 23,568 | #900 | 50 |
| 1916 | #5 | 23,189 | #840 | 55 |
| 1915 | #5 | 21,878 | #916 | 46 |
| 1914 | #5 | 15,839 | #777 | 46 |
| 1913 | #5 | 12,609 | #835 | 33 |
| 1912 | #5 | 11,280 | #635 | 43 |
| 1911 | #5 | 8,003 | #562 | 29 |
| 1910 | #5 | 7,212 | #461 | 35 |
| 1909 | #4 | 6,509 | #653 | 17 |
| 1908 | #4 | 6,180 | #566 | 20 |
| 1907 | #5 | 5,573 | #664 | 15 |
| 1906 | #5 | 5,140 | #523 | 19 |
| 1905 | #5 | 5,068 | #507 | 20 |
| 1904 | #5 | 4,900 | #587 | 15 |
| 1903 | #5 | 4,517 | #619 | 13 |
| 1902 | #5 | 4,384 | #521 | 17 |
| 1901 | #5 | 3,974 | #506 | 15 |
| 1900 | #5 | 4,765 | #623 | 16 |
| 1899 | #5 | 3,912 | #714 | 9 |
| 1898 | #5 | 4,249 | #543 | 15 |
| 1897 | #5 | 3,878 | #422 | 20 |
| 1896 | #5 | 3,905 | #641 | 12 |
| 1895 | #6 | 3,551 | #872 | 7 |
| 1894 | #6 | 3,372 | #521 | 15 |
| 1893 | #3 | 3,658 | #572 | 12 |
| 1892 | #5 | 3,290 | #597 | 12 |
| 1891 | #19 | 1,857 | — | |
| 1890 | #46 | 1,195 | #994 | 5 |
| 1889 | #46 | 1,073 | — | |
| 1888 | #59 | 850 | — | |
| 1887 | #62 | 627 | #921 | 5 |
| 1886 | #66 | 581 | — | |
| 1885 | #70 | 506 | #936 | 5 |
| 1884 | #74 | 442 | — | |
| 1883 | #73 | 387 | — | |
| 1882 | #80 | 323 | — | |
| 1881 | #84 | 275 | — | |
| 1880 | #93 | 234 | — | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Ruth was already there! It came in at #93, and was given to 234 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1882, when fewer than 330 girls a year got the name.
Where Ruth is popular in 1942
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Delaware#14 · 1 in 58
- Vermont#17 · 1 in 70
- West Virginia#21 · 1 in 91
- Pennsylvania#21 · 1 in 98
- Missouri#21 · 1 in 99
Best ever in a state: #1 in Nevada, 1914.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | #14 | 36 | 1 in 58 |
| Vermont | #17 | 36 | 1 in 70 |
| Missouri | #21 | 326 | 1 in 99 |
| Pennsylvania | #21 | 919 | 1 in 98 |
| West Virginia | #21 | 225 | 1 in 91 |
| Kentucky | #22 | 299 | 1 in 98 |
| Maryland | #22 | 187 | 1 in 95 |
| Ohio | #23 | 674 | 1 in 98 |
| Idaho | #25 | 36 | 1 in 120 |
| Indiana | #25 | 293 | 1 in 109 |
| Florida | #26 | 113 | 1 in 157 |
| Kansas | #26 | 117 | 1 in 119 |
| Virginia | #26 | 249 | 1 in 117 |
| Michigan | #27 | 511 | 1 in 109 |
| New Jersey | #27 | 303 | 1 in 118 |
| Wisconsin | #27 | 272 | 1 in 104 |
| Arkansas | #28 | 133 | 1 in 153 |
| Iowa | #29 | 174 | 1 in 121 |
| North Carolina | #29 | 280 | 1 in 150 |
| Minnesota | #30 | 205 | 1 in 124 |
| Illinois | #31 | 513 | 1 in 137 |
| Utah | #31 | 45 | 1 in 134 |
| Colorado | #32 | 71 | 1 in 140 |
| South Carolina | #32 | 146 | 1 in 163 |
| South Dakota | #32 | 40 | 1 in 118 |
| Nebraska | #34 | 72 | 1 in 137 |
| New Mexico | #34 | 36 | 1 in 162 |
| Connecticut | #35 | 112 | 1 in 140 |
| Massachusetts | #35 | 291 | 1 in 130 |
| Wyoming | #35 | 14 | 1 in 125 |
| District of Columbia | #36 | 64 | 1 in 134 |
| Oklahoma | #36 | 131 | 1 in 156 |
| Texas | #37 | 333 | 1 in 201 |
| California | #38 | 330 | 1 in 209 |
| Mississippi | #38 | 134 | 1 in 182 |
| Montana | #38 | 30 | 1 in 145 |
| Washington | #39 | 82 | 1 in 198 |
| Maine | #40 | 51 | 1 in 140 |
| North Dakota | #40 | 37 | 1 in 145 |
| Rhode Island | #40 | 39 | 1 in 149 |
| Oregon | #41 | 47 | 1 in 193 |
| Tennessee | #41 | 160 | 1 in 196 |
| Hawaii | #42 | 25 | 1 in 149 |
| New York | #42 | 648 | 1 in 174 |
| Georgia | #47 | 156 | 1 in 225 |
| Louisiana | #47 | 123 | 1 in 214 |
| Arizona | #50 | 28 | 1 in 209 |
| Alabama | #51 | 144 | 1 in 230 |
| New Hampshire | #69 | 18 | 1 in 216 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Ruth
- 2 spots since 2024 (#171 → #173)
- 46 spots since 2020 (#219 → #173)
- 118 spots since 2015 (#291 → #173)
- Biggest jump: 32 spots in 2021 (#219 → #187)
- Biggest drop: 34 spots in 1992 (#285 → #319)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1893 at #3 (3,658 births)
- Births halved by 1970, 77 yrs later
- Top 10: 39 yrs · run 1892–1930
- Top 100: 82 yrs · run 1880–1961
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Highest: 1 in 45 girls born in 1915 were named Ruth (2.2%)
- Latest: 1 in 902 girls born in 2025 (0.11%)
- Its best rank, #3 in 1893, was only 1 in 58 (1.7%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 26.1% of all girls named Ruth (218,520) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,298 | #46 (1889) | #71 |
| 1890s | 32,867 | #3 (1893) | #11 |
| 1900s | 51,010 | #4 (1909) | #5 |
| 1910s | 173,675 | #5 (1918) | #5 |
| 1920s | 218,520 | #5 (1920) | #6 |
| 1930s | 109,204 | #10 (1930) | #15 |
| 1940s | 85,666 | #24 (1940) | #36 |
| 1950s | 62,538 | #49 (1950) | #71 |
| 1960s | 34,189 | #96 (1961) | #123 |
| 1970s | 13,431 | #178 (1970) | #201 |
| 1980s | 11,204 | #207 (1981) | #233 |
| 1990s | 8,730 | #285 (1991) | #321 |
| 2000s | 9,187 | #326 (2001) | #346 |
| 2010s | 10,857 | #231 (2019) | #301 |
| 2020s | 9,746 | #171 (2024) | #186 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Ruth in 1942
Top girls' names in 1942
Top boys' names in 1942
More about 1942
girls
1,350,719 girls got a published name in 1942; 1 in 145 of them was named Ruth, which outranked 99.4% of the 5,378 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,381,161 boys got a published name in 1942; 1 in 32,120 of them was named Ruth, which outranked 74.6% of the 4,044 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #1,007Thornton44
- #1,007Tillman44
- #1,007Werner44
- #1,026Ruth43
- #1,026Audrey43
- #1,026Clovis43
- #1,026Eliot43
- #1,036Alonza42
- #1,036Ardell42
- #1,036Clare42
Tied with 9 names at #1,026; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.