Rutha Girl

Popularity: — · Trend: → Stable

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ROO-tha //ˈruːθə//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: Friend; English: Variant of Ruth

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Rutha is derived from the Hebrew name רוּת (Rut), which means "friend" or "companion." The name appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Ruth, which is set during the time of the Judges, around the 12th century BCE. The narrative follows Ruth, a Moabite woman who becomes the great-grandmother of King David, highlighting themes of loyalty, love, and faithfulness.

The name was transliterated into Greek as Ρούθ (Routh) and later into Latin as Ruth, which facilitated its entry into various European languages, including English, through the influence of the Latin Vulgate Bible during the early medieval period. Ruth's significance in biblical history is underscored by her role as a symbol of devotion and inclusion, as she was a foreigner who embraced the Israelite faith and customs.

The Book of Ruth has been a subject of various interpretations and adaptations throughout the centuries, influencing literature and religious thought. The name gained further prominence in the Christian tradition, particularly through its association with the lineage of Jesus Christ, as mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew, which traces Jesus' genealogy back to David.

Culturally, the name Rutha and its variants have been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing friendship and loyalty. The name has been celebrated in literature and art, reinforcing its enduring legacy.

Additionally, diminutive forms such as Ruthie have emerged, reflecting affection and familiarity. Overall, Rutha embodies a rich historical and cultural tapestry, rooted in ancient texts and resonating through centuries of religious and literary significance.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Rutha, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

RuthRuthanneRuthieRuthy

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Rutha. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

LuthaMuthaSuthaTuthaDuthaJutha

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Rutha was first seen in the United States in 1884.

Rutha has ranked as high as #1439 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama.

In the past 5 years the name Rutha has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Rutha is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Rutha was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Rutha.

Year Total Births Girl
1975 6 6
1973 9 9
1969 7 7
1968 7 7
1967 13 13
1966 10 10
1964 18 18
1963 15 15
1962 16 16
1961 18 18
1960 24 24
1959 28 28
1958 19 19
1957 26 26
1956 32 32
1955 33 33
1954 40 40
1953 54 54
1952 35 35
1951 46 46
1950 46 46
1949 47 47
1948 59 59
1947 61 61
1946 50 50
1945 55 55
1944 49 49
1943 48 48
1942 49 49
1941 54 54
1940 59 59
1939 56 56
1938 50 50
1937 73 73
1936 62 62
1935 67 67
1934 71 71
1933 45 45
1932 81 81
1931 61 61
1930 71 71
1929 82 82
1928 73 73
1927 80 80
1926 59 59
1925 87 87
1924 64 64
1923 66 66
1922 55 55
1921 61 61
1920 59 59
1919 49 49
1918 31 31
1917 32 32
1916 38 38
1915 33 33
1914 21 21
1913 24 24
1912 11 11
1911 15 15
1910 11 11
1909 19 19
1908 14 14
1907 11 11
1906 5 5
1905 10 10
1904 10 10
1903 11 11
1902 6 6
1901 6 6
1900 8 8
1899 10 10
1898 6 6
1897 6 6
1896 9 9
1895 8 8
1893 9 9
1891 6 6
1890 7 7
1886 5 5
1885 5 5
1884 7 7

Top States for Rutha (1960)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
MS 6
100%