Ruby
Girl name · #64 in 2025 · Uniqueness 40/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Ruby against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Ruby in class?
Ruby scores 40 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Ruby is most common
Geography matters for names, and Ruby is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Rubys were CA (360), TX (258), NY (188), FL (165), OH (143). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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.
ClaraAliceVivianRoseLillianEvaRileyEsther
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
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. It scores 40/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.