Ruby
Girl name · #64 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Ruby? In official American birth records, Ruby has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Ruby ranks #64 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 3,554 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #83, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 506 girls born in 2025 was named Ruby.
The 145-year story
Ruby first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 92 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 8,406 girls were named Ruby — good for #26 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Ruby per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ruby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ruby in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Ruby is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Ruby is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ruby is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Ruby is most common in VT (13 per 1,000), RI (6.5 per 1,000), DC (6.4 per 1,000), DE (6.2 per 1,000), UT (6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.7 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Ruby is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Ruby
Statistically, parents drawn to Ruby tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Clara, Alice, Vivian, Rose, and Lillian.
ClaraAliceVivianRoseLillianEvaEstherJune
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Ruby | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,554 | #64 |
| 2024 | 3,533 | #62 |
| 2023 | 3,364 | #65 |
| 2022 | 3,621 | #62 |
| 2021 | 3,599 | #62 |
| 2020 | 3,342 | #74 |
| 2019 | 3,738 | #66 |
| 2018 | 3,591 | #74 |
| 2017 | 3,587 | #79 |
| 2016 | 3,847 | #71 |
| 2015 | 3,467 | #83 |
| 2014 | 3,430 | #90 |
| 2013 | 3,321 | #93 |
| 2012 | 2,918 | #105 |
| 2011 | 2,770 | #109 |
| 2010 | 2,798 | #113 |
| 2009 | 3,019 | #108 |
| 2008 | 3,021 | #113 |
| 2007 | 2,900 | #116 |
| 2006 | 2,582 | #137 |
| 2005 | 2,472 | #130 |
| 2004 | 2,120 | #158 |
| 2003 | 1,707 | #189 |
| 2002 | 1,579 | #207 |
| 2001 | 1,366 | #232 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Ruby?
In official American birth records, the name Ruby first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 92 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Ruby a popular girl name?
Ruby ranked #64 among girls in 2025 with 3,554 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #83.
When was the name Ruby most popular?
Ruby peaked in 1924, when 8,406 American girls received the name (ranked #26 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Ruby?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 506 newborn American girls was named Ruby. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.