Rue
Girl name · #1318 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Rue? In official American birth records, Rue has been tracked continuously since 1896, giving it 129 years of documented American history.
Rue ranks #1318 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 169 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4981, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,651 girls born in 2025 was named Rue.
The 129-year story
Rue first appears in the Social Security records in 1896, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 188 babies and a rank of #1240. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Rue per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Rue against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Rue in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Rue is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Rue will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Rue is most common
State-level data for Rue is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Rue
Statistically, parents drawn to Rue tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are True, Jrue, Drue, Rumi, and Romee.
TrueJrueDrueRumiRomeeRenleeDoveRome
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Rue | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 | #1318 |
| 2024 | 188 | #1240 |
| 2023 | 184 | #1253 |
| 2022 | 183 | #1292 |
| 2021 | 118 | #1739 |
| 2020 | 70 | #2468 |
| 2019 | 41 | #3665 |
| 2018 | 33 | #4237 |
| 2017 | 44 | #3479 |
| 2016 | 36 | #4083 |
| 2015 | 27 | #4981 |
| 2014 | 32 | #4455 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5013 |
| 2012 | 32 | #4486 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8614 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11246 |
| 1978 | 6 | #8562 |
| 1971 | 5 | #8324 |
| 1962 | 8 | #4865 |
| 1961 | 5 | #6567 |
| 1958 | 11 | #3747 |
| 1957 | 5 | #6086 |
| 1956 | 10 | #3910 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5208 |
| 1954 | 12 | #3325 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Rue?
In official American birth records, the name Rue first appeared in 1896 (over 129 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Rue a popular girl name?
Rue ranked #1318 among girls in 2025 with 169 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4981.
When was the name Rue most popular?
Rue peaked in 2024, when 188 American girls received the name (ranked #1240 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Rue?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,651 newborn American girls was named Rue. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.