Ruby
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Ruby is a Latin name meaning “deep red gemstone”. It is a popular name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.77% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Ruby
Ruby is a name of Latin origin, derived from the word 'rubeus', which refers to the deep red color of the precious gemstone. It became established as a name in the 19th century alongside other jewelry-inspired appellations during the Victorian era. The name relies entirely on the symbolic association with the gemstone, representing its classic, vivid, and distinct visual quality.
Meaning Comments
- M_wc_fm_sm12: Ruby is a shade of red and it's a beautiful color.
- Charly_bt_me: This is my name and I love it. A Ruby is my mom's birthstone and she really liked the name so now it's mine.
- Snow_ninja_2: Ruby is a cute and sweet name! It makes me think of a 1980s teenager who is a very edgy girl but has a soft heart under her tough personality. Ruby is a name I’ll forever cherish.
Gender Usage of the Name Ruby
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Ruby is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.77% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Ruby
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Ruby is listed under Popular Girl Names worldwide. Its popularity is relatively consistent across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Popular | 1 in every 955 births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 1.7K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 1.4K births |
| Australia | Popular | 1 in every 137 births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Ruby ranked #40 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It fell from #30 in 2024 — a drop of 10 places. A widely recognized choice, Ruby has maintained a steady Top-100 presence.
Historically, its best recorded position was #13 in 2010. Its lowest recorded position was #845 in 1985. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name fell -16 places (from #24 to #40).
Name StyleMethodology
Ruby is classified as Timeless Girl Names because it appears across 100% of recorded years, averages 3,430 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 4,881 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Ruby
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 4 letters — Short Girl Names
- Starts with
- R — Girl Names Starting with R
- Ends with
- y — Girl Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Ruby is a two syllable name characterized by a soft, voiced ending, which contributes to its approachable and melodic character. Popularized by late 19th-century trends, it retains a connection to the cultural style of Ruby Keeler. The name is fundamentally Beautiful & Charming and rooted in a Vintage Revival sensibility.
Middle Names For Ruby
Middle names used with RubyMethodology
Ruby is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Ruby Mae · Ruby Jean · Ruby Ann · Ruby Elizabeth · Ruby MarieView all 1,170 girl middle names.
- Total 1,594 middle names used with Ruby
- 100 boy middle names used with Ruby
- 302 unisex middle names used with Ruby
Middle name suggestions for RubyMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Ruby is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “l”.
Examples: Ruby Leigh · Ruby Lynne · Ruby Lynch · Ruby Laine · Ruby Leach. View all 82 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Ruby
Flower AssociationsMethodology
As one of the Flower-Inspired Girl Names, Ruby appears as part of the common names of 3 flower species, including:
- Ruby Cinquefoil (Potentilla atrosanguinea G.Lodd.) — Rosaceae
- Ruby Rose Hibiscus (Hibiscus macverryi L.A.J.Thomson & Braglia) — Malvaceae
Additional Natural MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 72 biological records matching the name Ruby. Browse all matching records with their scientific names and taxonomic details.
Names Similar to Ruby
Sound Like Ruby Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Reba · Rubi · Rubie · View all 32 names
Spelled Like Ruby Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Rubby · Rubey · Rubys · View all 7 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Rebecca · Ruth · Rachel · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Ruby Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Mary · Dorothy · Emily · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Mary · Linda · Sarah · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Ruby”
Dictionary Meaning of "Ruby"Methodology
alternative form of robben
More Info
How to Spell Ruby in ASL
- R
- u
- b
- y
Comments on the name Ruby
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 56 comments
Andrej_proof
Ruby was also an archaic English diminutive of Reuben.
Leon_boy123
It’s too bad more September babies are named Ruby according to namedats.com:(
Red_rose591
In 2018, 83 is the most common age for an American (U.S.) Ruby who is registered female with the Social Security Administration. It is the 298th most common female first name for living U.S. citizens.
Lord_afrikos
Ruby can come from Dollar Scotland because of the child that was found at a door step that was given the name of Ruben Dollar and Ruben is the boy version of Ruby.
Pure99str63
Quite often this name is still thought of as an old lady's name, but in 2006 the name shot up to no.4 in the top 10 in England and Wales. A lot of little Rubys born that year were named after the teen tearaway and gangster's daughter Ruby Allen in the British soap EastEnders.