Rutha

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Rutha

Pronounced ROO-thuh /ˈruː.θə/High

Meaning: Rutha is an extended, -a-ending form of Ruth, the biblical name from Hebrew re'ut, generally read as 'friend' or 'companion.' Adding a soft -a to a short biblical name was a common early-1900s Southern practice (like Emma from Em, or Etta), giving the plain name a fuller, more melodic shape while keeping its meaning.Medium

In 30 seconds: Rutha (said 'ROO-thuh') is an extended form of the biblical Ruth — 'friend, companion' — softened with an -a ending in the old Southern style.

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Origin MediumHebrew, English

MeaningRutha is an extended, -a-ending form of Ruth, the biblical name from Hebrew re'ut, generally read as 'friend' or 'companion.' Adding a soft -a to a short biblical name was a common early-1900s Southern practice (like Emma from Em, or Etta), giving the plain name a fuller, more melodic shape while keeping its meaning.

U.S. rank (1975)#8782 ↘ Falling

1975 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1925

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,799

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Rutha is a lengthened form of Ruth, from the Hebrew for 'friend' or 'companion' — the loyal heroine of the Book of Ruth. It belongs to the era when biblical names were often softened with an -a ending. Rutha appears in the records from the 1880s, peaked around 1925, and had faded to rarity by the 1970s.

Anyone named Rutha was almost certainly born in the early twentieth century, making it a great-grandmother-era name today. It reads as a period elaboration of Ruth and, while Ruth itself is edging back into fashion, Rutha has not revived. It carries Ruth's warm 'friend' meaning, offers the ready nickname Ruthie, and sits beside siblings such as Della or Otis.

Did you know? Rutha is Ruth with a lilt: early-1900s families, especially in the South, liked to round off a short scripture name with an extra -a, turning Ruth into the gentler Rutha.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Rutha — Extended form of Ruth (Hebrew 'friend/companion'); c.1925 peak

Variations

RuthRuthieRuthann

Nicknames

RuthieRuth

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If you like Rutha…

Ruth— the base biblical name Rutha extends

Martha— a like biblical two-beat -a girl's name

Bertha— a same-era -tha vintage name

Letha— another soft early-1900s -tha name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Rutha mean?

Rutha is an extended form of Ruth, from the Hebrew for 'friend' or 'companion.'

How do you pronounce Rutha?

It's said ROO-thuh /ˈruː.θə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Rutha a boy or girl name?

Rutha is used as a girl's name, always as a girl's name.

How popular is Rutha?

Rutha was a modest early-twentieth-century choice that peaked in the mid-twenties and faded by the seventies; it remains rare.