Girl's name
Ruby
Say it ROO-bee
English origin ruby
2 syllables
Where Ruby is loved, common and rare
Loved in South Australia. Common across the UK, Ireland, British Columbia and eight more places. Rare in Cologne, Ontario, Quebec and nine more places.
1 in 132 girls born in Northern Ireland in 2025
Northern Ireland 23rdScotland 30thIreland 36th
LovedCommonRare
Every place
In 26 of the 40 official lists, among them Northern Ireland (23rd), Scotland (30th) and Ireland (36th).
Show all 26 placesShow less
| Place | Rank | Girls | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Australia state | 9th 2025 | 61 | rank only |
| New Zealand | 13th 2025 | 121 | rank only |
| Victoria state | 19th 2025 | 201 | rank only |
| Northern Ireland | 23rd 2025 | 55 | 1 in 132 |
| New South Wales state | 28th 2025 | 177 | rank only |
| Queensland state | 28th 2025 | 136 | rank only |
| Scotland | 30th 2025 | 115 | 1 in 156 |
| Ireland | 36th 2025 | 119 | 1 in 178 |
| England and Wales | 38th 2025 | 1,032 | 1 in 245 |
| British Columbia province | 40th 2023 | 51 | about 1 in 234 |
| The Netherlands | 89th 2025 | 154 | about 1 in 396 |
| Berlin city | 97th 2023 | 33 | about 1 in 440 |
| Cologne city | 112th 2023 | 11 | about 1 in 558 |
| Ontario province | 125th 2024 | 86 | about 1 in 633 |
| Quebec province | 191st 2025 | 30 | about 1 in 867 |
| Switzerland | 228th 2025 | 31 | 1 in 1,097 |
| Israel רובי | 325th 2024 | 41 | about 1 in 1,914 |
| France | 424th 2025 | 120 | 1 in 2,390 |
| Norway | 424th 2025 | 6 | 1 in 3,633 |
| Sweden | 526th 2025 | 11 | about 1 in 3,652 |
| Poland | 583rd 2025 | 3 | 1 in 39,929 |
| Austria | 742nd 2025 | 5 | 1 in 7,144 |
| Italy | 1359th 2024 | 6 | 1 in 29,862 |
| Rostock city | 46th 2025 | 4 | about 1 in 246 |
| Leipzig city | 66th 2025 | 8 | about 1 in 328 |
| Bonn city | 173rd 2025 | 3 | about 1 in 1,005 |
Rare, below the listed names: Munich, Spain, Catalonia, Hungary and Slovenia.
Not in a short top list, so no figure: Nova Scotia (top 21), Denmark (top 50), Finland (top 50), Iceland (top 10), Estonia (top 25), Moscow (top 61), Turkey (top 30), Argentina (top 20) and Croatia (top 50).
Germany publishes no national statistics on first names. German figures here are city lists (Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Rostock), never the country.
Israel publishes names in Hebrew script. The Latin spelling shown is our transliteration; the published form is shown beside it.
Sources: SA Attorney-General's Department, Births, Deaths and Marriages (data.sa.gov.au) (South Australia); Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), SmartStart (New Zealand); Registry of BDM Victoria (DataVic) (Victoria); NISRA (Northern Ireland); NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages (Data.NSW) (New South Wales); Queensland Registry of BDM (Qld Open Data Portal) (Queensland); National Records of Scotland (Scotland); Central Statistics Office (CSO) (Ireland); Office for National Statistics (England and Wales); BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (British Columbia); Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) (the Netherlands); BerlinOnline GmbH; Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten (LABO) / Standesämter (Berlin); Stadt Köln, Standesamt (offenedaten-koeln.de) (Cologne); Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (Ontario); Retraite Québec (Banque de prénoms, Données Québec) (Quebec); Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS) / Office fédéral de la statistique (OFS) (Switzerland); Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel) (Israel); INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (France); Statistics Norway (SSB) (Norway); Skatteverket (Swedish Tax Agency) (Sweden); Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji, rejestr PESEL (dane.gov.pl) (Poland); Statistik Austria (OGDEXT_VORNAMEN_1) (Austria); ISTAT, Contanomi (Italy); Hanse- und Universitätsstadt Rostock (opendata-hro.de) (Rostock); Stadt Leipzig, Standesamt (opendata.leipzig.de) (Leipzig); Bundesstadt Bonn, Standesamt (opendata.bonn.de) (Bonn). How we count, and every source
About the name
Taken from the red gemstone, Ruby became a girls' name in the nineteenth century.
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Two syllables, ROO-bee, give it a warm, rounded sound. Rubi is a variant spelling, and Rubina is a longer relative.
Ruby is a top-ten name in South Australia and ranks high in New Zealand and Victoria. In continental Europe it is far less common, though it has a following in the Netherlands. The Ontario and British Columbia records show its highest point right at the start, in 1926, yet the median bearer there was born in 2003: a name that faded for decades and has come back strongly. It is rising in twice as many places as it is falling.
Meaning, origin, pronunciation
- Pronounced
- ROO-bee, 2 syllables
- Meaning
ruby
- Origin
- English
- Other spellings
- Rubi
- Rúbia
- Rubina
Etymology
The female name derives from ruby in the 19th century.
From the Wiktionary entry, CC BY-SA 4.0, shortened.
Over time
Over five years: rising in 10 of 23 regions, falling in 5.
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Rank in each place since 1996; higher on the chart is more popular.
Ten years of ranks
Her rank each year, English-speaking regions first. A blank means no published rank for her that year.
| Region | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 26 | 29 | 32 | 27 | 30 | 34 | 30 | 39 | 41 | 38 |
| Scotland | 28 | 28 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 32 | 28 | 36 | 34 | 30 |
| Northern Ireland | 27 | 27 | 29 | 20 | 20 | 26 | 19 | 24 | 38 | 23 |
| Ireland | 32 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 34 | 26 | 38 | 37 | 30 | 36 |
| Ontario | 78 | 70 | 59 | 59 | 62 | 75 | 67 | 81 | 125 | |
| British Columbia | 47 | 89 | 54 | 44 | 55 | 61 | 52 | 40 | ||
| New South Wales | 10 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 22 | 28 |
| Victoria | 19 | 20 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 14 | 19 |
| Queensland | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 24 | 14 | 28 |
| South Australia | 9 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 28 | 24 | 9 |
| New Zealand | 11 | 14 | 23 | 5 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 10 | 13 |
| Quebec | 262 | 240 | 234 | 198 | 183 | 135 | 198 | 156 | 161 | 191 |
| France | 775 | 646 | 829 | 675 | 268 | 247 | 299 | 344 | 396 | 424 |
| The Netherlands | 230 | 237 | 205 | 158 | 129 | 149 | 119 | 120 | 89 | |
| Austria | 873 | 669 | 1331 | 541 | 380 | 425 | 497 | 351 | 429 | 742 |
| Switzerland | 804 | 546 | 409 | 490 | 350 | 289 | 255 | 244 | 280 | 228 |
| Berlin | 266 | 185 | 231 | 124 | 109 | 78 | 86 | 97 | ||
| Munich | 238 | 217 | 258 | 180 | 200 | 127 | ||||
| Cologne | 370 | 168 | 254 | 206 | 320 | 322 | 80 | 112 | ||
| Bonn | 512 | 222 | 131 | 357 | 124 | 239 | 236 | 362 | 173 | |
| Leipzig | 192 | 124 | 189 | 243 | 53 | 132 | 112 | 112 | 75 | 66 |
| Rostock | 136 | 84 | 97 | 202 | 102 | 122 | 174 | 49 | 46 | |
| Norway | 467 | 302 | 413 | 424 | ||||||
| Sweden | 620 | 506 | 437 | 835 | 500 | 527 | 526 | |||
| Italy | 3007 | 2982 | 1359 | |||||||
| Israel | 696 | 665 | 557 | 695 | 594 | 410 | 417 | 350 | 325 |
England and Wales, 1996 to 2025
| Year | Rank | Girls | per 100,000 girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | 1,032 | 407.5 |
| 2024 | 41 | 1,020 | 395.4 |
| 2023 | 39 | 1,059 | 412.8 |
| 2022 | 30 | 1,271 | 482.3 |
| 2021 | 34 | 1,300 | 474.4 |
| 2020 | 30 | 1,359 | 506.3 |
| 2019 | 27 | 1,656 | 591.3 |
| 2018 | 32 | 1,531 | 531.1 |
| 2017 | 29 | 1,688 | 564.4 |
| 2016 | 26 | 1,904 | 619.9 |
| 2015 | 17 | 2,215 | 719.3 |
| 2014 | 15 | 2,595 | 846.2 |
| 2013 | 11 | 2,948 | 955.7 |
| 2012 | 12 | 3,231 | 1,003.2 |
| 2011 | 7 | 3,709 | 1,154.3 |
| 2010 | 7 | 3,965 | 1,235.0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 4,560 | 1,455.1 |
| 2008 | 2 | 4,934 | 1,562.6 |
| 2007 | 1 | 4,986 | 1,628.8 |
| 2006 | 4 | 4,514 | 1,508.5 |
| 2005 | 12 | 3,154 | 1,094.2 |
| 2004 | 31 | 1,654 | 578.6 |
| 2003 | 47 | 1,084 | 389.0 |
| 2002 | 66 | 795 | 297.3 |
| 2001 | 67 | 745 | 278.0 |
| 2000 | 78 | 675 | 247.1 |
| 1999 | 93 | 581 | 206.3 |
| 1998 | 107 | 475 | 164.3 |
| 1997 | 104 | 485 | 165.4 |
| 1996 | 103 | 458 | 154.7 |
Sources: Office for National Statistics (1996-2025), OGL v3.
Ontario and British Columbia since 1925
Half of the babies named Ruby in Ontario and British Columbia since 1925 were born in or after 2003. First recorded in 1925. Her peak year there: 1926, at 469.3 per 100,000 girls.
Babies named Ruby per 100,000 girls born in Ontario and British Columbia, by five-year period. Her 1926 peak is averaged into its five-year period, so the line sits below it.
Sources: Ontario Office of the Registrar General (Ontario Data Catalogue) (1917-2024), OGL-Ontario; BC Vital Statistics Agency (BC Data Catalogue) (1924-2023), OGL-BC.
Sister names for Ruby
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 240 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 166 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 239 in England and Wales
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 127 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 124 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 143 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 138 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 293 in Scotland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
1 in 70 in Ireland
Rose and fell with Ruby.
Middle names for Ruby
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
Ruby Grace
2-1 beats · initials RG
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 71 in Scotland
Ruby Olivia
2-4 beats · initials RO · Ruby slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 4 syllables. Ruby slides into Olivia: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 99 in Scotland
Ruby Sophia
2-3 beats · initials RS
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 311 in Ireland
Ruby Maria
2-3 beats · initials RM
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 78 in Northern Ireland
Ruby Emily
2-3 beats · initials RE · Ruby slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables. Ruby slides into Emily: vowel meets vowel.
1 in 491 in Ireland
Ruby Julia
2-3 beats · initials RJ
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
1 in 214 in Northern Ireland
Ruby Rose
2-1 beats · initials RR
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 1 syllable.
1 in 1,286 in England and Wales
Ruby Miriam
2-3 beats · initials RM
Changes the beat after Ruby: 2 syllables, then 3 syllables.
Same style as Ruby
Names whose popularity rose and fell with hers across regions and decades.
1 in 57 in Northern Ireland
97% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 118 in Ireland
97% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 124 in Scotland
97% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 184 in Scotland
97% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 326 in England and Wales
96% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 70 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 162 in England and Wales
95% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
1 in 240 in Ireland
95% alike: moves with Ruby across countries and decades.
Famous people named Ruby
Ruby Dee, Ruby Lin, Ruby Payne-Scott, Ruby Bridges, Ruby Keeler, Ruby Myers, Ruby O. Fee and Ruby Barnhill.
Show all 8Show less
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American actress (1922–2014)
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Taiwanese actress, singer and producer born 1976
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Australian radio astronomer (1912-1981)
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American civil rights activist born 1954
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American actress, dancer, and singer (1910-1993) 1909 to 1993
-
Indian actress (1907–1983)
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German actress born 1996
-
British actress born 2004
People: Wikidata (CC0), linked to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists.
Questions about Ruby
5 questions, on how popular she is, what it means, how to say it, whether she is rising and sister names.
Show all 5 questionsShow less
How popular is Ruby?
Her best rank is No. 9 in South Australia in 2025. She is in the published lists of 26 of our 40 regions.
What does Ruby mean?
Wiktionary glosses Ruby as "ruby".
How do you pronounce Ruby?
ROO-bee, with 2 syllables.
Is Ruby getting more popular?
Over five years: rising in 10 of 23 regions, falling in 5.
Which sister names go with Ruby?
The deck's top five sisters for Ruby: Grace, Hazel, Sienna, Violet and Evie. Each is scored on style, era, popularity and origin, with sound clashes flagged.