Holding steady.
Popularity of Rutha since 1884
Babies named Rutha per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1925, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Rutha's real moment was 1932.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 17 |
| 1890s | 61 |
| 1900s | 100 |
| 1910s | 265 |
| 1920s | 686 |
| 1930s | 637 |
| 1940s | 531 |
| 1950s | 359 |
| 1960s | 128 |
| 1970s | 15 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Rutha is a rare phonetic variant of the classic biblical name Ruth. While Ruth has remained steadily popular over the centuries, Rutha saw its highest usage in the early 20th century, reaching a peak in 1932, when it was given to a modest number of baby girls. Since then, its usage has declined, and it has never entered the national top 1,000. The name's trajectory has been stable, with very few births in recent decades. Historically, Rutha was most common in the 1930s, though no single state stood out as a stronghold. As a variant, it carries the same Hebrew heritage and meaning of 'friend' or 'companion,' offering a distinctive alternative to the more familiar Ruth.
Rutha is a variant of Ruth, which originates from the Hebrew name רוּת (Rut). The name appears in the Old Testament as the Moabite woman who became the great-grandmother of King David. While its meaning is uncertain, it has traditionally been associated with the Hebrew word re'ut, meaning 'friend' or 'companion.' Rutha emerged as a phonetic spelling variant in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the United States, where it saw modest use.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Ruthie, Rue, Ruth
Sibling names for Rutha
Names that share Rutha's style, for a brother or sister.
