| Emily | Ruth | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Rival; eager | Friend, companion |
| Origin | Latin | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | EM-uh-lee | ROOTH |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1999 (26,542) | 1920 (26,102) |
| In 2025 | 5,451 | 1,781 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Emily | Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 37,622 | 9,746 |
| 2010s | 117,646 | 10,857 |
| 2000s | 223,768 | 9,187 |
| 1990s | 237,262 | 8,730 |
| 1980s | 131,764 | 11,204 |
| 1970s | 46,839 | 13,431 |
| 1960s | 12,332 | 34,189 |
| 1950s | 12,839 | 62,538 |
| 1940s | 13,409 | 85,666 |
| 1930s | 11,916 | 109,204 |
| 1920s | 18,754 | 218,520 |
| 1910s | 17,069 | 173,675 |
| 1900s | 6,423 | 51,010 |
| 1890s | 5,476 | 32,867 |
| 1880s | 3,368 | 5,298 |
Emily comes from the Roman family name Aemilius, linked to “rival” or “eager,” via the Latin Aemilia. It is carried by the poet Emily Dickinson and the novelist Emily Brontë.
Ruth is a Hebrew name usually given as “companion” or “friend.” The Book of Ruth tells of her devotion to her mother-in-law; she became an ancestor of King David.
Emily is more popular than Ruth today: about 5,451 US babies were given the name Emily in 2025, compared with 1,781 named Ruth.
Emily means Rival; eager (Latin origin), while Ruth means Friend, companion (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Emily first appears in 1880 and Ruth in 1880, so Emily has the longer recorded history.