Ruberta
Feminine diminutive of the Germanic name Robert, meaning "bright renown".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Ruberta. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ruberta today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ruberta births was 1924 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ruberta. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Ruberta is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rubertas were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Ruberta. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1924
8 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1943 SSA rank
#5,255
Tracked since 1880
Origin
Meaning and history of Ruberta
The name Ruberta has its origins in the Latin language and is derived from the word "rubertus," which means "red-haired." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals with reddish or auburn hair color.
In the early medieval period, the name Ruberta was most commonly found in regions of Europe with significant Roman influence, such as Italy, France, and Spain. It is believed that the name gained popularity during the 5th to 8th centuries, coinciding with the spread of Christianity and the adoption of Latin-based names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ruberta can be found in a 6th-century manuscript from the Monastery of St. Gall in Switzerland, where a nun by the name of Ruberta is mentioned. This suggests that the name was in use among religious communities during that time period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ruberta. One such person was Ruberta de Castiglione (c. 1211-1252), an Italian noblewoman and Franciscan tertiary who is venerated as a blessed in the Catholic Church. Another prominent figure was Ruberta Gilardoni (1887-1961), an Italian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Sisters of the Poor of the Assumption.
In the 13th century, Ruberta de Montpellier (c. 1210-1280) was a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Seventh Crusade led by King Louis IX of France. During the Renaissance period, Ruberta Spinola (c. 1475-1520) was an Italian noblewoman and patron of the arts, known for her patronage of artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo.
The name Ruberta also has a literary connection, appearing in the works of several authors. One notable example is the character of Ruberta in the 14th-century Italian novella "The Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio, where she is portrayed as a clever and resourceful woman.
While the name Ruberta has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it remains a part of historical records and serves as a reminder of the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the naming traditions throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region.
People
Ruberta + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ruberta as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ruberta: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ruberta?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ruberta going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Ruberta a common name?
We classify Ruberta as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 82 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ruberta most popular?
The single biggest year for Ruberta was 1924, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ruberta is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ruberta a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ruberta in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.