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At a Glance: Name: Ruth – Meaning: possibly 'companion' (the Hebrew root is uncertain) – Origin: Hebrew – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: ROOTH
Ruth is a Hebrew name, pronounced ROOTH (IPA /ˈruːθ/), with a vintage feel to match its long history. Its exact meaning isn't settled — the Hebrew root is uncertain — but the leading guess among scholars is 'companion.' You may have heard Ruth explained as meaning 'compassion' or 'pity'; that reading actually comes from a coincidentally similar English word used by the Puritans, not from the name's Hebrew root.
Meaning & Origin of Ruth
Meaning: Possibly 'companion' (the hebrew root is uncertain).
Origin: Hebrew.
A common claim: Ruth is popularly said to mean 'compassion' or 'pity.' Actually: That's a secondary wordplay from Puritan English, based on the coincidentally similar word 'ruth' (pity) — the uncertain Hebrew root more likely means 'companion.'
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Ruth
Phonetic: ROOTH IPA: /ˈruːθ/
Popularity of Ruth
Ruth hit its high point at #3 in 1893, when 3,658 girls were given the name, and has since settled into a far quieter spot at #172 in 2024, with 1,767 babies named Ruth that year.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Ruth Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Ruth, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Ruth mean?
Possibly ‘companion’ (the hebrew root is uncertain). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ruth)
How do you pronounce Ruth?
Ruth is pronounced ROOTH (IPA: /ˈruːθ/).
Is Ruth a popular name right now?
Ruth peaked at #3 in 1893 and is ranked #172 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
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