Ruby
Ruby is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #38 in 2025. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Latin — Red gemstone; deep red colour
About the Name Ruby
Ruby ranked #38 in 2025, down from its peak of #1 in 2007 — still a familiar name, but past its high point. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 27 of the last 30 years inside the UK top 100 — a mark of enduring mainstream appeal.
In terms of origin, Ruby is rooted in Latin, where it means "Red gemstone; deep red colour". Names with strong etymological stories tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles.
Ruby is a very popular name in the UK — yet a class of 28 is small enough that your child will very likely be the only Ruby on the register.
In the US it sits at #63 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
⭐ Famous People Named Ruby
- Ruby (British band) — Ruby is a Scottish electronic music act that was formed as a collaboration between singer Lesley Rankine and multi-instrumentalist Mark Walk in 1994, and is now positioned as a solo vehicle for Rankine.
- Ruby Dee — Ruby Dee was an American actress.
- Ruby Bridges — Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Ruby
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Ruby
Almost certainly the only Ruby in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Ruby
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Ruby
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia