Total births
1,565
Unisex name · since 1896
Rue
Rue has 1,565 recorded births since 1896 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2024 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1241
- among girls today
- 1,565
- born since 1896
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other girls
1,565 babies have been named Rue since 1896, making it today's #1241 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Rue recorded 1,565 times among girls since 1896, holding rank #1241 nationally today, ahead of 93% of girls, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1896 to 2025.
- #1241 among girls today
- 1,565 born since 1896
- 2020s peak decade
- 93% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rue is currently the #1241 unisex name in America, more common than 93% of girls - 1,565 born since 1896, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1241
- among girls today
- 1,565
- born since 1896
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 93%
- more common than other girls
Rue vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1241
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 93% of names given to girls today.
2020s
Peak decade
58% of everyone ever named Rue was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
188 babies were named Rue in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Rue compares
1,565 Top 25% higher than 75% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rue's all-time total is 4x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rue | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,565 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 188 | 48 | 19,840 |
Rue's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rue's full recorded timeline at 1947, 85% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 15% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1896, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2024 peak of 188 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rue at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#1,241
Active since
1896
Rue popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1896–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 188
- Annual births at peak, across 130 years of records
Rue popularity over time - boys
319 total births recorded since 1896 (Rue as boys' name)
Rue by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Rue's strongest decade.
912 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Rue births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 13
1900s
13 births
- 1910s 41
1910s
41 births
- 1920s 75
1920s
75 births
- 1930s 65
1930s
65 births
- 1940s 64
1940s
64 births
- 1950s 72
1950s
72 births
- 1960s 13
1960s
13 births
- 1970s 11
1970s
11 births
- 2010s 294
2010s
294 births
- 2020s
2020s
912 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 912 births (58% of all-time use).
How Rue compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Rue's total volume
Rue vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Rue by state
Where Rue concentrates geographically, total births since 1896
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 88 | 5.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 71 | 4.5% |
| #3 | Utah | | 59 | 3.8% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 45 | 2.9% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 40 | 2.6% |
| #6 | New York | | 33 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 28 | 1.8% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 25 | 1.6% |
California share of Rue's total US births 5.6%
Even split
88 of 1,565 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 27 reporting states.
Rue appears in 27 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rue? ▼
Rue has been given to 1,565 babies in the U.S. since 1896, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1241 as of the latest data. 188 babies were born in 2024, its single highest year.
When was Rue most popular? ▼
Rue was most popular in the 2020s decade with 912 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Rue most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rue are California (88 births), Texas (71 births), Utah (59 births).
Is Rue a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Rue is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 1,565 births, and as a boy's name it has 319 births.
How long has the name Rue been used? ▼
Rue has been recorded in Social Security data since 1896, spanning 130 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rue? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ruelle, Ruey, Ruemani, Ruella, and 2 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Rue's data
- California records the most Rues (88 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rue
Nearby Names Like Rue
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rue
Ruelle Girl
#5435 81 births
Ruey Girl
80 births
Ruemani Girl
#8430 33 births
Ruella Girl
7 births
Ruel Girl
5 births
Compare Rue side by side: Rue vs Ruelle Rue vs Ruey Rue vs Ruemani
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rue
Joan #1240
481,238 births · Peak 1932
Bernadette #1242
54,973 births · Peak 1958
Kaylie #1239
22,101 births · Peak 2006
Nathalie #1243
20,667 births · Peak 2009
Kit #1238
2,316 births · Peak 2025
Aida #1244
13,777 births · Peak 2005
Hollis #1237
5,498 births · Peak 2025
Frida #1245
8,491 births · Peak 2017
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1896–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rue: #1241 Unisex Name - 1,565 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rue. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rue draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.