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Ruthella
How to Pronounce Ruthella
Pronounced roo-THEL-ah /ruːˈθɛl.ə/Medium
Meaning: Ruthella joins Ruth, from the Hebrew re'ut meaning 'friend' or 'companion,' with the ornamental -ella ending popular in early twentieth-century American naming.Low
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
Ruthella builds on Ruth, the Hebrew name meaning 'friend' or 'companion' borne by the biblical Moabite woman, adding the fashionable -ella suffix that many early 1900s parents favored for elaborating a plain classic into something showier.
Ruthella never became common, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak around 1920, and it faded from records by the late 1950s. A girl named Ruthella then would be in her hundreds today, squarely a great-grandmother's-era name.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Ruthella mean?
It blends Ruth, Hebrew for 'friend' or 'companion,' with the decorative -ella ending.
How do you pronounce Ruthella?
It is said roo-THEL-ah /ruːˈθɛl.ə/, three syllables with the stress in the middle.
Is Ruthella a boy or girl name?
Ruthella is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Ruthella?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the early 1920s.