Ruby is a popular choice in the UK, ranked #41 in 2024. There's a good chance they'll share their name with at least one classmate throughout school.
Origin & Meaning
Latin — Red gemstone; deep red colour
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UK Rank 2024
#41
US Rank #63
About the Name Ruby
Ruby is holding steady in the rankings at #41. It reached its peak of #1 in 2007 and has maintained consistent levels since — the hallmark of a name with lasting rather than trend-driven appeal. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has spent 26 of the last 29 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 distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it sits at #63 — notably more popular in the UK than across the Atlantic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Ruby
Unlikely. With around 1,020 UK babies named Ruby per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Ruby in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Ruby has held a stable position around #41 for several years. It reached its recorded peak of #1 in 2007 and has maintained consistent levels since — suggesting lasting rather than trend-driven appeal.
The name Ruby has Latin origins and means "Red gemstone; deep red colour". Names with clear etymological roots tend to age well — they carry weight beyond fashion cycles and give children a story to tell about their name.
Notable people named Ruby include: 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...; Ruby Bridges — Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist.; Liberty Bell Ruby — The Liberty Bell Ruby is a sculpture crafted from the world's largest mined ruby, discovered in East Africa in the 1950s..
Ruby ranks #63 in the US (2024), making it comfortably inside the American top 100. It's well-liked on both sides of the Atlantic.
1,020
UK babies named Ruby (2024)
~0.0
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.5
In a school of 600
↓ 11 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Ruby
Likely around 1 other Ruby in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Ruby
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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's sound includes electronic, trip hop, noise, industrial, and jazz, among others.
Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist. She was the first African American child to attend formerly whites-only William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960.
Ethel Ruby Keeler was a Canadian and American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly 42nd Street. From 1928 to 1940, she was married to actor and singer Al Jolson.
The Liberty Bell Ruby is a sculpture crafted from the world's largest mined ruby, discovered in East Africa in the 1950s. It weighs four pounds, is eight and a half thousand carats (8,500), and is sculpted into a miniature form of the Liberty Bell.
Ruby Starr, born Constance Henrietta Mierzwiak, was an American rock singer and recording artist who attained national prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, notably for her work with Black Oak Arkansas.