Ruth is a traditionally feminine name with Hebrew roots and origins in the Bible (Ruth was King David's great-grandmother and the daughter-in-law of Naomi; she spoke the famous words, "Whither thou goest, I will go.").
The name means "companion" or "friend" and jives well with other "friendly"-meaning names like Amity or Lakota. Similar Biblical names include Leah, Naomi, Esther, Rachel, Rebecca, and Miriam. Or go for non-Biblical "R" names like Rose, Ruby, Rue, or Reese. Another option if you like Ruth but want something different is to ditch the "R" entirely and pick another name with a "u" sound: Julia, Sue, Lou, June, or Prudie.
Ruth is an O.G. name for sure, experiencing a sharp rise in popularity in the U.S. in 1890, followed by an overall peak in usage in 1909 and a steady decline since the 1920s. Which means it's primetime to bring it back! In 2019 Ruth was #291 on the U.S. names for girls list, which means yours is likely to be the only Ruth in kindergarten (always a plus).
Famous Ruths in history include the late, extremely accomplished, and much-beloved U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well as actors Ruth Jones, Ruth Gordon, Ruth Hussey, and Ruth Negga, journalist Ruth Gruber, food critic Ruth Reichl, writer Ruth Rendell, and basketball player Ruth Riley.
Ruth in quotes:
"My daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman." — the book of Ruth
"My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Meanings
Hebrew Baby Names Meaning:
In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Ruth is: Companion; friend; vision of beauty. In the Bible, Ruth the Moabitess was the great grandmother of King David.