Ruth
Say it: ROOTH/ɹuːθ/
Girl4 letters1 syllable
#247
in Ireland (2025)
#249 with spellings combined
17
babies in 2025
#42
best rank (1985)
6,220
babies since 1964
Down 122
10-year rank change
Ruth through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | #249 |
| 2024 | 15 | #279 |
| 2023 | 14 | #279 |
| 2022 | 23 | #204 |
| 2021 | 29 | #167 |
| 2020 | 24 | #193 |
| 2019 | 39 | #139 |
| 2018 | 43 | #134 |
| 2017 | 44 | #130 |
| 2016 | 45 | #129 |
| 2015 | 50 | #127 |
| 2014 | 68 | #96 |
| 2013 | 75 | #86 |
| 2012 | 66 | #97 |
| 2011 | 82 | #86 |
| 2010 | 67 | #100 |
| 2009 | 77 | #91 |
| 2008 | 59 | #110 |
| 2007 | 60 | #101 |
| 2006 | 60 | #94 |
| 2005 | 77 | #73 |
| 2004 | 70 | #79 |
| 2003 | 76 | #64 |
| 2002 | 75 | #68 |
| 2001 | 88 | #56 |
| 2000 | 68 | #71 |
| 1999 | 86 | #52 |
| 1998 | 72 | #55 |
| 1997 | 81 | #67 |
| 1996 | 107 | #53 |
| 1995 | 102 | #54 |
| 1994 | 90 | #61 |
| 1993 | 86 | #69 |
| 1992 | 111 | #55 |
| 1991 | 140 | #44 |
| 1990 | 139 | #44 |
| 1989 | 144 | #44 |
| 1988 | 131 | #55 |
| 1987 | 147 | #53 |
| 1986 | 153 | #53 |
| 1985 | 171 | #42 |
| 1984 | 151 | #54 |
| 1983 | 171 | #50 |
| 1982 | 159 | #60 |
| 1981 | 199 | #47 |
| 1980 | 180 | #54 |
| 1979 | 176 | #51 |
| 1978 | 172 | #54 |
| 1977 | 201 | #44 |
| 1976 | 169 | #54 |
| 1975 | 173 | #52 |
| 1974 | 179 | #48 |
| 1973 | 165 | #56 |
| 1972 | 134 | #62 |
| 1971 | 132 | #68 |
| 1970 | 135 | #61 |
| 1969 | 103 | #77 |
| 1968 | 100 | #73 |
| 1967 | 108 | #66 |
| 1966 | 76 | #83 |
| 1965 | 96 | #66 |
| 1964 | 70 | #87 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Ruth mean?
Uncertain, possibly "companion"
Hebrew, from Ruth, the heroine of the Book of Ruth in the Bible.
Say it right
ROOTH
The story of Ruth
Ruth comes from the Hebrew Bible, where the Book of Ruth tells the story of a young woman from Moab. After her husband dies she refuses to leave her mother-in-law Naomi, and goes with her to Bethlehem. The meaning of the Hebrew name is not certain; “companion” is one suggestion.
In English, ruth is also an old word for pity or compassion. The Puritans of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries liked names with a virtue in them, and this double meaning helped Ruth into everyday use among Christians.
In Ireland Ruth was a steady name for decades. It sat in or near the top 60 through the 1970s and 1980s, and its best year for rank was 1985, when it reached number 42. It has become much rarer since, with 17 girls named Ruth in 2025. In Northern Ireland it reached number 75 in 1998.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Ruth (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Ruth (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ruth | 17 | 6,220 |
In Northern Ireland
#397 in 2025 with 3 babies. Best rank #75 (1998); 279 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.