Ruthanna
A feminine name composed of Ruth (friend, companion) and Anna (gracious).
Name Census estimates that about 373 living Americans carry the first name Ruthanna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ruthanna today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ruthanna births was 1923 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ruthanna. 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.
People living today
373
~ 1 in 918,912 Americans
Peak year
1923
24 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,166
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Ruthanna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ruthanna from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 185 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ruthanna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Ruthanna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ruthannas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio recorded the most babies named Ruthanna, while Kansas, Ohio, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 31 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Ruthanna
The given name Ruthanna is a combination of the Hebrew name Ruth and the Germanic name Hannah. The name Ruth is derived from the Hebrew word "re'ut," which means "friend" or "companion." It is a biblical name that appears in the Old Testament Book of Ruth, where Ruth was a Moabite woman who embraced the God of the Israelites and became an ancestor of King David.
The name Hannah, on the other hand, has its roots in the Hebrew name "Channah," which means "grace" or "favor." It is also a biblical name, appearing in the Books of Samuel as the name of the mother of the prophet Samuel. The combination of these two names, Ruthanna, is thought to have originated in the English-speaking world during the 19th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ruthanna can be found in the 1850 United States Federal Census, where a woman named Ruthanna Hurst was listed as residing in Ohio. Another early record is from the 1860 United States Federal Census, which lists a Ruthanna Lyle living in Indiana.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Ruthanna. One such person was Ruthanna Watts (1888-1969), an American educator and politician who served as the first woman elected to the Idaho State Legislature in 1923. She was a pioneer in advocating for women's rights and education reform.
Another prominent figure with this name was Ruthanna Boris (1917-2015), an American artist and sculptor known for her abstract expressionist works. Her sculptures and paintings were exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States, and she received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the art world.
Ruthanna Shelley (1905-1990) was an American author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays during her career. Her works often explored themes of family dynamics, social issues, and the complexities of human relationships.
In the realm of science, Ruthanna Gordon (1918-2012) was an American biologist and educator who made significant contributions to the field of genetics. She conducted pioneering research on the genetics of fruit flies and taught at various universities throughout her career.
Lastly, Ruthanna Watts (born 1967) is a contemporary American author and editor known for her work in the science fiction and fantasy genres. She has published numerous short stories and novels, including the critically acclaimed "Primogen" series, which explores themes of identity, power, and the consequences of technological advancements.
People
Ruthanna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ruthanna 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
Ruthanna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ruthanna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 373 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ruthanna 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 918,912 US residents.
Is Ruthanna a common name?
We classify Ruthanna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 777 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ruthanna most popular?
The single biggest year for Ruthanna was 1923, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ruthanna is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ruthanna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ruthanna 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.