Comments
Meaning
Usage
Pronunciation
Famous
Impression
Other
Very underrated.
2
2
Ruth means “the red one” in Hebrew, according to the book Red-Yellow-Blue by Silke Vry.
1
1
This is a very nice name. I would rather have a class with five Ruths than five girls named Kynsli, Payslee or Everlyeigh. It would be really sweet on a little girl now.
5
5
There was the Book of Ruth.
1
1
I myself am a Ruth. My friend calls me Ruthful (Full of Ruth or merciful; compassionate), whenever I'm particularly sweet and Ruthless (having or showing no pity or compassion for others) when I'm the total opposite. I have always been rather partial to the name maybe because I'm biased or simply because the name is elegant and simple. And I also think it is a great unisex name.
6
6
I can't believe no one has mentioned American baseball legend, George Herman “Babe” Ruth.
3
3
Ruth Dreifuss is a Swiss politician affiliated with the Social Democratic Party. She was the first woman ever to be elected President of the Confederation from 1 January to 31 December 1999. She was a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1993 to 2002, representing the Canton of Geneva. She was elected to the Swiss Federal Council on 10 March 1993 as the 100th member elected since the foundation of the federal state.
1
1
Too harsh.
-9
-9
The daughter William Jennings Bryan, one of the early twentieth century's most well-known political figures, Ruth Bryan Owen built her own career in politics, with a slew of firsts for women in American government domestically and internationally. She, along with two other women, was the tenth woman to take a seat in Congress, and the first from the state of Florida. She was also the first woman to sit on the Foreign Affairs committee. After losing a reelection race, she became the first woman to be appointed a US ambassador.
(Technically Owen's title was "minister" - though now the chiefs of mission to US embassies are universally titled "ambassador", that was untrue until the 1960s. Eugenie Anderson is credited as the first woman to be appointed chief of mission at the "ambassador" rank. In 2022, both women would have been granted the title of "ambassador".)
Ruth Bryan was born in 1885 in Jacksonville, Illinois, to Mary E. Baird, a practicing lawyer, and William Jennings Bryan, a rising politician.
Her childhood was spent in service to her father's rising political fortunes. When she was two, her father was elected to the Nebraska legislature and the family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. When she was five, her father was elected to the House of Representatives. Bryan often accompanied her father to the House floor; she was dubbed "the sweetheart of the House" by male representatives of the House of Representatives.
There is a good chance that, if you have heard the name William Jennings Bryan, it is in relation to his role in the 1925 Scopes trial. The trial famously put a Tennessee science teacher on trial for teaching evolution. Bryan was the prosecuting attorney; by 1925, he had become rather well-known for his anti-evolution activism. Yet that final act, famous and embarrassing though it may have been, was only one part of a long and consequential career that traversed politics and law. (Five of Bryan's homes from various are preserved on the National Register of Historic Places, which demonstrates something of his significance to his time period.)
Bryan was 15 when her father was jettisoned to political superstardom. At the 1896 Democratic National Convention, he delivered a speech known as the "Cross of Gold" speech. While no recordings are known to exist of the speech, historical comparison can be made between it and Ann Richards' keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention and Barack Obama's keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The speech's content is rather challenging to interpret from a 2022 lens, but it emphasized his belief in bimetallism and free silver. He decried the gold standard, concluding the speech, "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold" (hence its historic title).
William Jennings Bryan was selected by the Democrats as their 1896 presidential candidate by based upon the speech. Though he lost the general election, he made an impression that would last. At 36, he remains the youngest person selected as a major party's presidential nominee.
Bryan was selected again as the Democrats' presidential nominee in 1900; Ruth Bryan was 15.
Ruth Bryan attended public schools in Washington, D.C. and a private girls' school in Godfrey, Illinois. She attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for two years, beginning in 1901. She departed the university in 1903 when she married an artist; the couple had two children before divorcing.
Ruth Bryan's relationship with her father was strained by her divorce; William Jennings Bryan was profoundly religious and tended towards fundamentalism. Still, she served as his press secretary when he, again, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1908.
Ruth Bryan remarried in 1910, to an officer of the Royal British Engineers named Reginald Owen; the couple had two children.
The Owen family spent much of the 1910s overseas, following Reginald Owen's duty posts. In Cairo in 1915, Ruth Owen joined the British Volunteer Aid Detachment as a nurse to care for convalescent soldiers. Owen also established a volunteer entertainment troupe, the “Optimists,” that performed at military hospitals in the Middle East. While the Owens were abroad, William Jennings Bryan reached his highest office as President Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State.
Reginald Owen's health began to fair in 1919. The Owens moved to Miami, Florida. William Jennings Bryan had settled in the area after the conclusion of his Secretary of State service, and the Owens wanted to be.
Owen supported her family as a lecturer and a faculty member of the University of Miami.
Owen also dabbled in the film industry. She was director, producer, and screenwriter for a feature film in 1922, titled "Once Upon a Time/Scheherazade." The film is now lost, and very little is known of it. Owen, though, was immensely proud, and believed herself to a be true pioneer for women in the film industry.
William Jennings Bryan died in 1925, just days after the conclusion of the Scopes trial.
The very next year, Ruth Bryan Owen began her political career. She ran for Congress from Florida, a state that had refused to ratify the 19th amendment, in 1926; she lost the Democratic primary to the incumbent by just 800 votes.
The year 1927 proved a challenging year for Owen: husband Reginald Owen died and a devastating hurricane ripped through the Miami area. Owen contemplated withdrawing from politics, stating that "there was not the friendliest feeling toward any woman taking her place in political life" (a massive understatement, quite likely).
She decided to run again in 1928, though. Her efforts to provide relief for the victims of the Miami hurricane had drawn attention to her cause. She courted newspaper editors assiduously. Moreover, she proved to have campaigning and speaking capabilities comparable to her father. Her energetic oratory was widely noted, and she delivered an estimate 500 stump speeches across her district.
Nationally, Democratic leaders were displeased with Owen. She refused to endorse the 1928 presidential nominee, Al Smith, on the basis of his Catholicism. While hardly anti-Catholic herself, the Florida electorate was violently anti-Catholic, and she feared a connection with Smith would hinder her campaign efforts.
Owen won the Democratic primary by more than 14,000 votes against the same incumbent she had faced in 1926. She won the general election decisively, even as the Republican presidential candidate, Herbert Hoover, won the state decisively.
The campaign didn't end on election day. The Republican candidate, William C. Lawson, contested the election. Lawson claimed that Owen had lost her citizenship when she married an Englishman and lived outside the United States. He claimed she had not recovered her citizenship under the provisions of the 1922 Cable Act, which allowed women married to foreign men to petition for repatriation upon their return to the United States, until 1925, thus not allowing her seven years' required citizenship under the Constitution to run for Congress.
Owen challenged Lawson, delivering a persuasive defense of her eligibility before the House Elections Committee, which yielded an amendment to the law.
Owen was sworn into Congress on 4 March 1929; she was one of three new women in Congress worn in that day, the tenth women to take seats in Congress.
Owen was known for constituent services. She supported legislation to protect Florida's citrus fruit. She introduced legislation to set aside thousands of acres of the Everglades to be a national park; though that effort failed, it set the stage for a later designation. In perhaps the most controversial move of her time in Congress, Owen voted in favor of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff, which raised duties on imports in May 1929. Considering her father’s staunch opposition to tariffs, many political observers expressed shock. Owen insisted she was only following the wishes of the voters in her district. She established an annual program (using some of her own money) to bring high school boys and girls from her district to Washington, DC, for training as future leaders.
Owen made children and families a legislative priority. She suggested the creation of a Cabinet-level department to oversee the health and welfare of families and children, a “Department of Home and Child.”
In December 1929, Owen became the first woman to win a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. From this position, she became focused on making sure the United States played an active role in significant international conferences.
Owen was also an adamant supporter of Prohibition and the 18th amendment. It was her support of Prohibition that cost her support. Though she won her 1930 reelection race uncontested, Prohibition cost her the 1932 Democratic primary. Owen, embarrassed, contemplating resigning immediately but decided to wait till the end of her term.
She came to support the repeal of the 18th amendment, despite her own misgivings.
In April 1933, just a month after leaving Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Owen, as Minister to Demark. She was the first woman to head a diplomatic legation.
In 1936, Owen married Captain Borge Rohde of the Danish Royal Guards. Because her marriage meant that she was a citizen of both Denmark and the United States, she had to resign her diplomatic post. She was an active campaigner for Roosevelt's reelection in 1936, though.
From 1938 to 1954, she served on the Advisory Board of the Federal Reformatory for Women. In 1949 President Harry S. Truman appointed her as an alternate delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. Owen lived in Ossining, New York, lecturing and publishing several well-received books on Scandinavia.
She died in Copenhagen on July 26, 1954, at age 68, during a trip to accept the Danish Order of Merit from King Frederick IX recognizing her contributions to American-Danish relations.
2
(Technically Owen's title was "minister" - though now the chiefs of mission to US embassies are universally titled "ambassador", that was untrue until the 1960s. Eugenie Anderson is credited as the first woman to be appointed chief of mission at the "ambassador" rank. In 2022, both women would have been granted the title of "ambassador".)
Ruth Bryan was born in 1885 in Jacksonville, Illinois, to Mary E. Baird, a practicing lawyer, and William Jennings Bryan, a rising politician.
Her childhood was spent in service to her father's rising political fortunes. When she was two, her father was elected to the Nebraska legislature and the family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. When she was five, her father was elected to the House of Representatives. Bryan often accompanied her father to the House floor; she was dubbed "the sweetheart of the House" by male representatives of the House of Representatives.
There is a good chance that, if you have heard the name William Jennings Bryan, it is in relation to his role in the 1925 Scopes trial. The trial famously put a Tennessee science teacher on trial for teaching evolution. Bryan was the prosecuting attorney; by 1925, he had become rather well-known for his anti-evolution activism. Yet that final act, famous and embarrassing though it may have been, was only one part of a long and consequential career that traversed politics and law. (Five of Bryan's homes from various are preserved on the National Register of Historic Places, which demonstrates something of his significance to his time period.)
Bryan was 15 when her father was jettisoned to political superstardom. At the 1896 Democratic National Convention, he delivered a speech known as the "Cross of Gold" speech. While no recordings are known to exist of the speech, historical comparison can be made between it and Ann Richards' keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention and Barack Obama's keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The speech's content is rather challenging to interpret from a 2022 lens, but it emphasized his belief in bimetallism and free silver. He decried the gold standard, concluding the speech, "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold" (hence its historic title).
William Jennings Bryan was selected by the Democrats as their 1896 presidential candidate by based upon the speech. Though he lost the general election, he made an impression that would last. At 36, he remains the youngest person selected as a major party's presidential nominee.
Bryan was selected again as the Democrats' presidential nominee in 1900; Ruth Bryan was 15.
Ruth Bryan attended public schools in Washington, D.C. and a private girls' school in Godfrey, Illinois. She attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for two years, beginning in 1901. She departed the university in 1903 when she married an artist; the couple had two children before divorcing.
Ruth Bryan's relationship with her father was strained by her divorce; William Jennings Bryan was profoundly religious and tended towards fundamentalism. Still, she served as his press secretary when he, again, was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1908.
Ruth Bryan remarried in 1910, to an officer of the Royal British Engineers named Reginald Owen; the couple had two children.
The Owen family spent much of the 1910s overseas, following Reginald Owen's duty posts. In Cairo in 1915, Ruth Owen joined the British Volunteer Aid Detachment as a nurse to care for convalescent soldiers. Owen also established a volunteer entertainment troupe, the “Optimists,” that performed at military hospitals in the Middle East. While the Owens were abroad, William Jennings Bryan reached his highest office as President Woodrow Wilson's Secretary of State.
Reginald Owen's health began to fair in 1919. The Owens moved to Miami, Florida. William Jennings Bryan had settled in the area after the conclusion of his Secretary of State service, and the Owens wanted to be.
Owen supported her family as a lecturer and a faculty member of the University of Miami.
Owen also dabbled in the film industry. She was director, producer, and screenwriter for a feature film in 1922, titled "Once Upon a Time/Scheherazade." The film is now lost, and very little is known of it. Owen, though, was immensely proud, and believed herself to a be true pioneer for women in the film industry.
William Jennings Bryan died in 1925, just days after the conclusion of the Scopes trial.
The very next year, Ruth Bryan Owen began her political career. She ran for Congress from Florida, a state that had refused to ratify the 19th amendment, in 1926; she lost the Democratic primary to the incumbent by just 800 votes.
The year 1927 proved a challenging year for Owen: husband Reginald Owen died and a devastating hurricane ripped through the Miami area. Owen contemplated withdrawing from politics, stating that "there was not the friendliest feeling toward any woman taking her place in political life" (a massive understatement, quite likely).
She decided to run again in 1928, though. Her efforts to provide relief for the victims of the Miami hurricane had drawn attention to her cause. She courted newspaper editors assiduously. Moreover, she proved to have campaigning and speaking capabilities comparable to her father. Her energetic oratory was widely noted, and she delivered an estimate 500 stump speeches across her district.
Nationally, Democratic leaders were displeased with Owen. She refused to endorse the 1928 presidential nominee, Al Smith, on the basis of his Catholicism. While hardly anti-Catholic herself, the Florida electorate was violently anti-Catholic, and she feared a connection with Smith would hinder her campaign efforts.
Owen won the Democratic primary by more than 14,000 votes against the same incumbent she had faced in 1926. She won the general election decisively, even as the Republican presidential candidate, Herbert Hoover, won the state decisively.
The campaign didn't end on election day. The Republican candidate, William C. Lawson, contested the election. Lawson claimed that Owen had lost her citizenship when she married an Englishman and lived outside the United States. He claimed she had not recovered her citizenship under the provisions of the 1922 Cable Act, which allowed women married to foreign men to petition for repatriation upon their return to the United States, until 1925, thus not allowing her seven years' required citizenship under the Constitution to run for Congress.
Owen challenged Lawson, delivering a persuasive defense of her eligibility before the House Elections Committee, which yielded an amendment to the law.
Owen was sworn into Congress on 4 March 1929; she was one of three new women in Congress worn in that day, the tenth women to take seats in Congress.
Owen was known for constituent services. She supported legislation to protect Florida's citrus fruit. She introduced legislation to set aside thousands of acres of the Everglades to be a national park; though that effort failed, it set the stage for a later designation. In perhaps the most controversial move of her time in Congress, Owen voted in favor of the Smoot–Hawley Tariff, which raised duties on imports in May 1929. Considering her father’s staunch opposition to tariffs, many political observers expressed shock. Owen insisted she was only following the wishes of the voters in her district. She established an annual program (using some of her own money) to bring high school boys and girls from her district to Washington, DC, for training as future leaders.
Owen made children and families a legislative priority. She suggested the creation of a Cabinet-level department to oversee the health and welfare of families and children, a “Department of Home and Child.”
In December 1929, Owen became the first woman to win a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. From this position, she became focused on making sure the United States played an active role in significant international conferences.
Owen was also an adamant supporter of Prohibition and the 18th amendment. It was her support of Prohibition that cost her support. Though she won her 1930 reelection race uncontested, Prohibition cost her the 1932 Democratic primary. Owen, embarrassed, contemplating resigning immediately but decided to wait till the end of her term.
She came to support the repeal of the 18th amendment, despite her own misgivings.
In April 1933, just a month after leaving Congress, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Owen, as Minister to Demark. She was the first woman to head a diplomatic legation.
In 1936, Owen married Captain Borge Rohde of the Danish Royal Guards. Because her marriage meant that she was a citizen of both Denmark and the United States, she had to resign her diplomatic post. She was an active campaigner for Roosevelt's reelection in 1936, though.
From 1938 to 1954, she served on the Advisory Board of the Federal Reformatory for Women. In 1949 President Harry S. Truman appointed her as an alternate delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. Owen lived in Ossining, New York, lecturing and publishing several well-received books on Scandinavia.
She died in Copenhagen on July 26, 1954, at age 68, during a trip to accept the Danish Order of Merit from King Frederick IX recognizing her contributions to American-Danish relations.
2
I like it actually... I like it nicknamed “Rue” but I’ll only use it for a fictional character.
3
3
I think Ruth is ridiculously unappreciated. I look forward to the day it's used more in the West.
9
9
Ruth Alston Brown (née Weston; 1928–2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress, sometimes known as the "Queen of R&B". She was noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean". For these contributions, Atlantic became known as "the house that Ruth built" (alluding to the popular nickname for the old Yankee Stadium). Brown was a 1993 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
3
3
I'm not a fan of Ruth because it sounds harsh to me, but it's a classic name and I appreciate the biblical reference, so I wouldn't mind being called Ruth. I can see it as a middle name, following the name of a saint. Anne Ruth, Joanna Ruth, Pauline Ruth, Georgia Ruth, Louisa Ruth, Cecilia Ruth...
2
2
I love this name because it's so very friendly, nice and sweet ❤❤.
7
7
It's a lovely name. I've heard a few people mention it when discussing theoretical baby names, and not too long ago a family that I know gave it to their daughter. It seems to be making a comeback, and I'm quite happy about that.
7
7
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, deceased justice of SCOTUS, is also a bearer of this name.
4
4
Ruth is an amazing biblical name. One of the best biblical names ever!
11
11
I think Ruth sounds okay. Not bad and not the best either. The meaning is friendly.
2
2
Ruth and Rhys as twin names.
7
7
I really like the name Ruth. When I hear it, no bad connotations come to mind. It's short and sweet. I love it!
7
7
Ruth is a cute name! Really humble and sweet. Kind of a filler name, but I can see why. The meaning is lovely along with its history too. In my opinion it ages well. It doesn’t make sense to say a name “better suits an adult” so you shouldn’t give it to your baby. Parents forget that this is a child who is eventually gonna grow up to be an adult. I would much rather have a name that will at least last long than a name that doesn’t look good on a kid past age 10.
10
10
I can't believe nobody has brought up the famous actress Ruth Buzzi yet. Ruth Buzzi was one of the most famous performers on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In and she played her signature character Gladys Ormphby. She stood out in the 1960s for her very unique personality and looks.
6
6
The English dictionary defines Ruth as:
1. Pity or compassion.
2. Sorrow or grief.
3. Self-reproach; contrition; remorse.
7
1. Pity or compassion.
2. Sorrow or grief.
3. Self-reproach; contrition; remorse.
7
If you wanna name your child Ruth, GO FOR IT! Who cares what anyone else thinks? It's a sweet, classic name with a beautiful meaning. No, it's not an "old lady name". Anything can become an old lady name, given enough time, because little girls grow up to be old ladies! Even Ruth in the Bible has a really sweet autumnal love story. And how are we going to stop it being seen as an "old lady name" if we don't bequeath it to our children? Ruth is refined and gorgeous. Ruth is a gem.
17
17
Nicknames:
Ru Ru
Ruthie
Ruthsie
Ru
It's really cute!
5
Ru Ru
Ruthie
Ruthsie
Ru
It's really cute!
5
Ruth is as pretty as a picture. Really sweet.
11
11
Ruth is so pretty! I think that it should totally be used more. I think it sounds, mysterious in a way. It's like fine wine, it ages well.
10
10
Alyssa Ruth would be a sweet combination.
6
6
Ru can be a sweet nickname.
4
4
Ruth means compassion. It stands for friendship and empathy.
2
2
Ruth may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes, even if they don't have a universally loved sound, they suit the bearer of the name. To me, Ruth sounds innocent, like someone with a very loving heart. It does have a feminine touch to it but it's not overly girly (not like that's a bad thing either).
7
7
I think Ruth is very sweet. Someone mentioned that Ruthie would set the child up for teasing because it sounds like "roofie", but in my opinion, it's not very empathetic to make or laugh at jokes like that in the first place. The fault lies with the person making such a distasteful joke, not with the innocent bearer of the name.
7
7
From reading these somewhat ignorant comments about the name Ruth, from people who seem to know nothing of what it is like to be privileged with the name Ruth, it is clear that these people have no idea of what it is like to be a person of (what this website suggests itself) great intellect, strength and refinery.
4
4
The meaning is great but I don't want to lie, I find the sound absolutely hideous.
-1
-1
A sweet, classic name with a nice meaning.
5
5
Ruth is also French and Estonian (used alongside Rutt in Estonia). The name day for Ruth in France is October 2. The name day for Ruth in Estonia is January 4. [noted -ed]
3
3
It's alright, best as a middle name in my opinion.
5
5
Rest in Power, Ruth Bader Ginsburg! A notorious American hero. In my Opinion this name will always suggest: independent, intelligent, assiduous. Simple, classically beautiful, and worthy of a renaissance.
8
8
Ninety year old neighbor lady name! I would absolutely hate to be stuck with this name throughout life!
-14
-14
I think it sounds sweet...
8
8
If you are a fan of flouncy names, I would suggest you stray from Ruth. It is simple and understated. It may not be as girly but it has an interesting appeal. She will likely be the only one in her class, maybe among a handful in her school, but it is original and unparalleled. Ruth has a noble meaning and a long history.
12
12
In this world of Avas and Emmas, Ruth is a rare classic, beautiful while retaining strength. The First Ruth, perhaps, was Ruth from the Bible. The Book of Ruth tells a charming and romantic love story, the tale of Ruth and Boaz, which is set in the golden season of autumn. Ruth is like Beth, short and sweet. It promises resilience and friendship - Ruth means compassion, and the R gives it a touch of power.
8
8
My daughter's middle name is Ruth. It goes well with her first name Anna, Anna Ruth. It's pretty and yet quiet strength.
10
10
Simple and pretty with a lovely meaning and Biblical background.
8
8
Not bad!
6
6
I kind of like it.
8
8
My grandmother was named Ruth. I used to hate it but it's started to grow on me some. I like that it means "friend" and I'm considering it for a daughter after Notorious RBG, who is my hero. I also knew one Ruth while I was in college. We didn't talk much, but she really owned her name and didn't hide behind any nicknames or anything, which I found admirable.
7
7
The female version of Buddy.
-10
-10
An ultimate "old lady" name. It should be against the law for anyone under the age of 80 to have this name. It also doesn't sound pretty or feminine, just harsh and abrupt.
-25
-25
It's kind of weird that people with such silly usernames on this website, like 'Vomiting' or 'Myfartssmellgood', actually tend to leave nice, sincere comments, instead of mocking or sarcastic ones. I myself think Ruth is okay, even though it's still a bit harsh, but does have a good history and meaning.
9
9
In 2018, 85 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Ruth who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 117th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
1
1
I like the name Ruth. I kinda wish it was my name :)
14
14
Not bad:)
12
12
My middle name. It sounds okay with my first name. It was my great grandmother's name and my mom's middle name, and I would like to use it as my daughter's, if I have one's, middle name.
8
8
Ruth Zakarian is an American actress, model and beauty queen who was the winner of the first ever Miss Teen USA pageant, held in 1983 in Lakeland, Florida. She went on to compete in Miss USA 1984 as Miss Teen USA 1983.
1
1
Better suited for a dog in my opinion.
-15
-15
This is a one of my favorite Biblical feminine names, it sounds yet feminine and isn't as popular as Sarah or Abigail. If you want a Biblical name for your daughter, I recommend this one.
12
12
As my middle name, it's fine with Eileen. It was my great grandmother's name and I like how it's not like some modern name... Like Alyssa, Elyse, or Maya.
3
3
Baby Ruth candy bars were named after Grover Cleveland's daughter. She was born between his two terms of office which was popular. She died of heart problems at 14.
Born: October 3, 1891, New York City, NY
Died: January 7, 1904, Princeton, NJ
She was very famous, and mourned by many. She was known as Baby Ruth. Babe Ruth was a last name (not a famous bearer).
5
Born: October 3, 1891, New York City, NY
Died: January 7, 1904, Princeton, NJ
She was very famous, and mourned by many. She was known as Baby Ruth. Babe Ruth was a last name (not a famous bearer).
5
The name is also used in Iceland.
4
4
A very tough name for a young girl to have.
-8
-8
Why is everyone suggesting 'Ruthie' as a nickname? So many teasing opportunities and bad connotations, your child would be mercilessly bullied with that pet name. It sounds like 'Rufie', which is slang for rohypnol. You might be shaking your heads and saying 'Oh, kids won't know what that means,' but believe me, they will- I should know. I'm 13 and I don't think that a single one of my friends- some of whom are only eleven- wouldn't snigger when hearing that nickname.
On the plus side, minus the nickname, it's gorgeous. My friend's name is Caitlin Ruth, and it's lovely on her.
0
On the plus side, minus the nickname, it's gorgeous. My friend's name is Caitlin Ruth, and it's lovely on her.
0
Never heard of rohypnol. I think Ruthie is super cute. Ruth used to remind me of ruthless but that's actually the opposite of what it means, and I'm liking it a lot lately. Such a cute name with a wonderful Biblical connection! I also like its similarity to Ruby - perhaps a Ruby could be honored with the name Ruth if someone likes one and not the other (or vice versa.)
8
8
No offense to anyone who has or likes it, but I've always disliked this name. It just sounds so plain and boring, but also cold and way too rough. I just tend to like more soft, sweet, feminine-sounding names. The nickname Ruthie is a tad better though.
4
4
Ruth... a classic Biblical name that is not used as much today as it deserves. If you want to be you-neek, yet classy rather than ignorant, name your daughter Ruth and forget about naming her Paizleigh or Kennidee. Be warned--your baby daughter will grow up into a senior citizen.
-1
-1
We are about to name our daughter Ruth. I love it. She will be Ruthie as a child, Ruthless playing sports, Ruthifer in her teen years and Ruth as a professional adult.
5
5
I can't believe no one has mentioned the character Ruth May from The Poisonwood Bible. She is the youngest daughter of the Price family. Her family goes on a mission trip to the Congo. She dies after getting bitten by a snake, which causes her family to fall apart.
2
2
I really like the name Ruth. It's simple yet elegant. The meaning "friend" is cute. ^_^
10
10
Swedish people use 'Rut' (pronounced kind of like 'root').
6
6
I'm glad this name is still on the charts. It's really cute.
9
9
American actress Ruth Hussey (1911-2005).
2
2
Women were little girls once too, and little girls grow into women! You can't label a name as a "women's name", that just doesn't make sense. I would rather meet 100 little girls named Ruth than another one with a cutesy, modern name that will never fit her when she grows up. Ruth is a very sweet name, although the ending does sound a bit harsh. But that can always be fixed with the nickname Ruthie, which is absolutely adorable more youthful than just Ruth.
24
24
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a Supreme Court Justice, and was also the first Jewish woman to appointed to the Court.
10
10
Ruth is a woman's name.
Not a little girl.
-18
Not a little girl.
-18
This name is so sweet! It makes a really good middle name, I'd use it for sure!
11
11
This was the name of Rose's snobbish, elitist mother in James Cameron's Titanic. Nice name despite the negative association.
4
4
Czech pronunciation is "ROOT".
1
1
I don't like Ruth. It sounds harsh and unattractive.
-5
-5
For once I can say this is a likable name for a grandma's name. So, from the list of granny names this one comes close to pleasant. Nice meaning it has at least.
3
3
It's classic and timeless, yet relatively underused. However, I detest the nickname "Ruthie". I think Ru would be much cuter.
7
7
Ruth is a character in Kazuo Ishiguro's amazing (and depressing) novel Never Let Me Go, played by Keira Knightley in the film adaptation.
2
2
My grandmother's name. She is a wonderful lady. Her name suits her very well. I believe it is a timeless name that has a wonderful meaning.
7
7
Such a sweet meaning!
8
8
Not really a famous bearer, but Ross and Rachel considered this for their baby on Friends. They decided against it, when Rachel said "We'll have our very own Baby Ruth".
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3
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible names lists the meaning of Ruth as "satisfied." Or, possibly, "fulfilled."
Ruth, her husband Boaz and their son Obed are mentioned in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5.
The Greek form of Ruth is as follows:
ρουθ
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Ruth, her husband Boaz and their son Obed are mentioned in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:5.
The Greek form of Ruth is as follows:
ρουθ
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Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 – September 24, 1978) was an American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film.
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This is my mother's name. Her mother named her after the bible character. My mother is very kind, hard working and funny. Whenever I hear this name I think of her. Also this seems to be a very adult name. Maybe you can cute it up by giving the nickname Ruthie for small children.
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Ruth "Ruthie" Camden was a character on the once-popular show "Seventh Heaven." She was played by Mackenzie Rosman. The show ran from 1996-2007.
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Come back!
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Ruth is also named as an ancestress of Christ in Matthew 1:5.
In Greek, Ruth is written as follows:
ρουθ
MATTHEW 1:5
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
In the Hebrew Old Testament, Ruth is written as follows:
רות
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In Greek, Ruth is written as follows:
ρουθ
MATTHEW 1:5
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
In the Hebrew Old Testament, Ruth is written as follows:
רות
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I've always liked that my name is easy to spell and pronounce and that it is uncommon.
On the downside, it isn't very feminine and there are no nicknames!
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On the downside, it isn't very feminine and there are no nicknames!
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This was my grandmother's middle name. Naomi Ruth, I love that combo, because Naomi was Ruth's mother-in-law in the Bible. I absolutely love this name, it's fantastic. Even if it has no nicknames. Maybe Ruthie while she's little.
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I never used to like this name, but it's growing on me. No nicknames though.
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I think Ruth is the type of name that is beautiful because of its simple, understated elegance.
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And to the person who said it reminded them of "ruthless," it's funny because you think it's the opposite! Being full of "Ruth" instead of being "ruthless"! :) Did that even make any sense? o_0
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Ruth Condomine in Noel Coward's comedy, "Blithe Spirit"! (I played this character when we did the play at our school, and it was fun, though the character was a bit snobbish and overbearing :)
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My younger niece is named Ruth. I used to think that this was one of those good-in-theory-not-in-real-life names, but now I have to admit I've grown very fond of it. It has a nice classic sound, a beautiful Bible story, and a good meaning all connected to it.
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I love names like this that contain so much beauty in just one syllable. And another great thing is that it's not a very common name!
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This would have been my name if I hadn't been named Jessica. It's a shame, because I really like it! The fact that it means "friend" is just so sweet, and it sounds very mature, but in a nice and not cold sort of way. Plus I also think of the chocolate bar, and the early to mid-1900's, my favorite time in history.
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It reminds me of ruthless.
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Kate Bush's song "Running up That Hill" is oftentimes referred to as "RUTH" by her fans. I think it is a lovely name and I like the association with Kate Bush.
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I don't like the fact that it's an anagram of hurt.
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Like a previous commenter from 2008, I unfortunately can’t get past the fact that it’s an anagram of “hurt”. Having only four letters makes it more noticeable. Shame.
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I have a friend called this of whom we nickname 'Rufus'. Probably not a common nickname; but one nevertheless.
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Ruth Connors is a character in Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones".
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I love this name. It was my great aunt's name and I would like to use it if I ever have children. I also think the Biblical Ruth would be a perfect person to be named for.
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Ruth is pretty while still being simple and direct.
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I like my name, but the problem is that I am a physician and so I always get the "Dr. Ruth" jokes. Hopefully by the time children that are born now are adults, no one will remember her.
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Rather rough, if you ask me.
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Ruth, a "Piratical Maid of all work," is a character from Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" (1879).
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Ruth Jameson is the main female character in Gene Stratton-Porter's novel "The Harvester."
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A nice, short, sweet name that everyone can spell and pronounce - what's not to like?
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I love the name Ruth espescially Ruth Marie. You can call her Ruthie when she is younger and Ruth when she is older.
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Such a cute name! It looks good on all ages. I'm glad more people are discovering it.
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This is one of the few names you can't go wrong with, in my opinion!
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I think this is a nice, sweet name. My Mom had considered naming me Ruth. I think a nice nickname is Ruthie when the girl is little and then when she is older she can go by Ruth if she wants a more adult name.
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Ruth Huckaback is a character in R. D. Blackmore's novel "Lorna Doone."
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Makes me think of Baby Ruth and Babe Ruth.
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Ruth Wilson is an English actress best known for playing the title character in the 2006 BBC miniseries "Jane Eyre."
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Ruth Roman (December 22, 1922 – September 9, 1999) was an American actress. She was born Norma Roman in the Boston suburb of Lynn, Massachusetts and as a young girl pursued her desire to become an actress by enrolling in the prestigious Bishop Lee Dramatic School in Boston. Following completion of her studies Roman headed to Hollywood where she obtained bit parts in several films before being cast in the title role in the 1945 thirteen episode serial Jungle Queen.
In the early 1950s, The Jungle Queen became one of the television serials that brought Roman a whole new audience of baby boomers. In 1949 she had a secondary but important role in the acclaimed 1949 film, Champion. In one of her most memorable roles, Roman costarred with Farley Granger and Robert Walker in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train (1951).
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In the early 1950s, The Jungle Queen became one of the television serials that brought Roman a whole new audience of baby boomers. In 1949 she had a secondary but important role in the acclaimed 1949 film, Champion. In one of her most memorable roles, Roman costarred with Farley Granger and Robert Walker in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Strangers on a Train (1951).
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There is an author named Ruth Rendell aka Barbara Vine.
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Ruth has been on the top 1000 list since the 1880's. Its most popular year was 1900 to 1910 where it ranked 5. In 1890 and 1920 it ranked 6. Its popularity began to slide in 1950. The name Ruthann appeared on the top 1000 list in 1930 and 1940 where it ranked 878 and 518.
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I do like my name and I feel that the meaning of my name does stand true in my character. The difficult thing is being a faithful friend even when others have let you down. But somehow it's who you are - your name! I also have compassion for others who have been through difficulties. People say I have a soft beauty, a gentle nature. I am a Christian also!
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I always associate the name Ruth with the girl that Arnold had a crush on in the Nickelodeon show "Hey Arnold!" I really love it, and I'm glad it's not as popular as it used to be. :)
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Hollywood legend Bette Davis was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis. Since her mother was also named Ruth, Bette used her nickname throughout her life.
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Ruth Horáčková is songwriter Michal Horáček´s daughter.
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I have always heard that Ruth meant "peace."
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This was my mom's name. Unfortunately she didn't like it. She used to say, with a grimace, "It rhymes with tooth."
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Also used in Portugal.
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This always makes me think of Ruth Jamison from "Fried Green Tomatoes." I love that movie!
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Ruth Jones was the birth name of famous blues, jazz and gospel singer Dinah Washington.
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This name I think is very pretty because it sounds cute when you're little, and still is professional when you're an adult.
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The little girl in the cartoon "One Big Happy" is called Ruthie. She is named after her grandmother who is also featured in the script.
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Means "Compassion" in English as the antonym of the word ruthless. May also mean "Beloved" from the the word Hebrew word Rut.
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Ruth is the fifth book in Lori Copeland's Brides of the West series. It's a sweet story, I think.
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