Message: "Ruthild" - Behind the Name

[Facts] Ruthild

by Anneza

11/6/2006, 11:07 PM

I've just read an article (in the International Herald Tribune: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/06/news/nazi.php) about the Lebensborn programme in Nazi Germany; one of the informants, who was atypically told by her mother that she was a Lebensborn baby, is called Ruthild. Hild presumably is battle, war, strife - all the usual meanings; and is the Rut- element the same as Ruth? Is the name used in Germany - I've never encountered it before, but my German is rudimentary indeed - or could the mother have invented it as the perfect name in the circumstances? I find it very attractive but a tad sinister!

#Ruthild

Replies

- CN (guest)

11/7/2006, 5:17 AM

In fact Ruth and Rut is the same name, but spelled differently. The german language doesn't have the sound that is created by the TH in English. You can find the same variation in the name Elisabeth- Elisabet. Thomas- Tomas. Nathan- Natan. Thelma- Telma and so on.

- Rene +6

11/6/2006, 11:22 PM

I found on several German name websites the info that the "Rut" in Ruthild comes from Old High German "hroth" / "hrod" (fame) like the first part of Rudolf, with the name Rodehild given as an older form. This sound plausible to me.
Rene www.AboutNames.ch

- kaleko +4

11/9/2006, 6:12 AM

I'd be interested...

... in the German name websites. Mind sharing? :)

Thanks!

*****

- Rene +3

11/9/2006, 10:45 AM

Checking again, I saw that all the "usual" German name websites do not carry Ruthild, but I found it here:
http://www.spatha.de/namen.htm
Rene www.AboutNames.ch

- kaleko +2

11/10/2006, 11:27 AM

Thank you! I'd still like to know the "usual" German websites, if it's not too much hassle :)

*****

- Rene +1

11/11/2006, 12:07 AM

Well, in this case I can recommend my link page at:
http://www.kunigunde.ch/verzeich.htm
It could use some updating but most of the websites should still be there.
Rene www.AboutNames.ch

- kaleko

11/11/2006, 9:10 AM

Thanks a lot!

So many sites, so many names... Thank you! :)

*****

- Anneza

11/7/2006, 2:26 AM

Yes, it does indeed! Thanks, Rene. I think I was fooled by the t and the h right next to each other ... looks very like the English Ruth, and of course Rut is a good German alternative spelling for Ruth, so ...

Must say, Rodehild isn't nearly as pretty!

Allt he best

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