| Ruth | Sarah | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Friend, companion | Princess |
| Origin | Hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | ROOTH | SAIR-uh |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1920 (26,102) | 1982 (28,483) |
| In 2025 | 1,781 | 2,710 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ruth | Sarah |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 9,746 | 16,944 |
| 2010s | 10,857 | 46,657 |
| 2000s | 9,187 | 124,545 |
| 1990s | 8,730 | 224,423 |
| 1980s | 11,204 | 272,637 |
| 1970s | 13,431 | 118,823 |
| 1960s | 34,189 | 43,913 |
| 1950s | 62,538 | 39,966 |
| 1940s | 85,666 | 39,977 |
| 1930s | 109,204 | 36,513 |
| 1920s | 218,520 | 46,769 |
| 1910s | 173,675 | 38,120 |
| 1900s | 51,010 | 17,342 |
| 1890s | 32,867 | 17,154 |
| 1880s | 5,298 | 14,715 |
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.
Sarah is Hebrew for “princess” or “noblewoman.” In the Bible she is the wife of Abraham and a matriarch of Israel, renamed by God from Sarai.
Sarah is more popular than Ruth today: about 2,710 US babies were given the name Sarah in 2025, compared with 1,781 named Ruth.
Ruth means Friend, companion (Hebrew origin), while Sarah means Princess (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Ruth first appears in 1880 and Sarah in 1880, so Ruth has the longer recorded history.