Total births
1,921
Boys' name · since 1882
Ruel
Ruel has 1,921 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1915 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #7270
- among boys today
- 1,921
- born since 1882
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
1,921 babies have been named Ruel since 1882, making it today's #7270 boys' name.
Ruel has 1,921 recorded births among boys since 1882, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7270 as of the latest data, more common than 49% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #7270 among boys today
- 1,921 born since 1882
- 1920s peak decade
- 49% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ruel is currently the #7270 boys' name in America, more common than 49% of boys - 1,921 born since 1882, peaking in the 1920s.
- #7270
- among boys today
- 1,921
- born since 1882
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Ruel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7270
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 49% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
19% of everyone ever named Ruel was born in this single decade.
1915
Single peak year
49 babies were named Ruel in 1915 - its busiest year on record.
How Ruel compares
1,921 Top 22% higher than 78% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Ruel's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ruel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,921 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 49 | 23 | 22,252 |
Ruel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Ruel's full recorded timeline at 1957, 32% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 68% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1882, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1915 peak of 49 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Ruel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1915
Current rank
#7,270
Active since
1882
Ruel popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (1915)
- 49
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Ruel popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1913 (Ruel as girls' name)
Ruel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ruel's strongest decade.
372 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.
Ruel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 47
1890s
47 births
- 1900s 62
1900s
62 births
- 1910s
1910s
260 births
- 1920s
1920s
372 births
- 1930s
1930s
260 births
- 1940s
1940s
180 births
- 1950s
1950s
155 births
- 1960s 115
1960s
115 births
- 1970s 99
1970s
99 births
- 1980s 79
1980s
79 births
- 1990s 86
1990s
86 births
- 2000s 56
2000s
56 births
- 2010s 83
2010s
83 births
- 2020s 57
2020s
57 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 372 births (19% of all-time use).
How Ruel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Ruel's total volume
Ruel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Ruel by state
Where Ruel concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 47 | 2.4% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 44 | 2.3% |
| #3 | Oklahoma | | 17 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 16 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 12 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 11 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.3% |
Texas share of Ruel's total US births 2.4%
Even split
47 of 1,921 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ruel? ▼
1,921 babies have been named Ruel since 1882. It currently ranks #7270 among boys. The peak year was 1915 with 49 births.
When was Ruel most popular? ▼
Ruel was most popular in the 1920s decade with 372 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
Where is Ruel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ruel are Texas (47 births), Kentucky (44 births), Oklahoma (17 births).
How long has the name Ruel been used? ▼
Records for Ruel go back to 1882, giving 144 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ruel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Rueben, Rue, Rueger, Ruey, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Ruel's data
- Ruel's decade-level peak was the 1920s (372 total births); usage has since declined to 57 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Ruels (47 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Ruel
Nearby Names Like Ruel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ruel
Rueben Boy
#5458 4,871 births
Rue Boy
#5462 319 births
Rueger Boy
56 births
Ruey Boy
10 births
Ruebin Boy
6 births
Compare Ruel side by side: Ruel vs Rueben Ruel vs Rue Ruel vs Rueger
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ruel
Margarito #7269
4,887 births · Peak 1928
Woody #7271
4,236 births · Peak 1946
Rollo #7268
949 births · Peak 1918
Fenton #7272
2,046 births · Peak 1922
Schuyler #7267
4,166 births · Peak 1993
Boyce #7273
5,518 births · Peak 1934
Stanford #7266
7,727 births · Peak 1954
Everet #7274
752 births · Peak 1925
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ruel: #7270 Boys' Name - 1,921 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ruel. 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 Ruel 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.