Rising since 2008, #1,318 for girls today.
Popularity of Rue since 1896
Babies named Rue per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 | 5 |
| 1900s | 13 | 5 |
| 1910s | 41 | 58 |
| 1920s | 75 | 57 |
| 1930s | 65 | 51 |
| 1940s | 64 | 12 |
| 1950s | 72 | 36 |
| 1960s | 13 | 5 |
| 1970s | 11 | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 |
| 2010s | 294 | 12 |
| 2020s | 912 | 78 |
Meaning & origin
Rue is a short, crisp name that has gently climbed the U.S. popularity charts since 2008. In 2025 it ranked 1318th overall, with 1 in every 9510 baby girls receiving the name. Its peak year so far was 2024, reflecting a growing taste for single-syllable botanical names. The name has been recorded in the Social Security data since 1896, though it remained rare throughout the 20th century. State-level data shows Rue is most common in Utah, Maryland, and Kentucky, hinting at a preference in the Mountain West and Mid-Atlantic regions. While the name carries a poetic association with regret, its botanical origin gives it a natural, earthy quality that modern parents find appealing.
Rue is a 19th-century adoption of the name of the herb rue (Ruta graveolens), perhaps influenced by the English vocabulary word 'rue' meaning regret or pity. The plant name comes from Old French rue, from Latin ruta, from Greek rhyte. As a given name, it was occasionally used in the 1800s and has seen a revival as a short, vintage-style name in the 21st century.
Where Rue is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Rue” around the world
Where Rue lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Sources: CSO Ireland (Ireland).
Sibling names for Rue
Names that share Rue's style, for a brother or sister.
