Rue
Every Rue since 1896 — 1,884 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Rue
Rue is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,324 in 2025 with 169 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1896, 1,884 American babies have been named Rue — about 83% girls and 17% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2024, when 205 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Rue stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Rue year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 | #1,324 | 10 | #8,119 |
| 2024 | 188 | #1,241 | 17 | #5,610 |
| 2023 | 184 | #1,254 | 12 | #7,212 |
| 2022 | 183 | #1,294 | 20 | #4,986 |
| 2021 | 118 | #1,747 | 13 | #6,603 |
| 2020 | 70 | #2,493 | 6 | #11,748 |
| 2019 | 41 | #3,709 | — | — |
| 2018 | 33 | #4,336 | — | — |
| 2017 | 44 | #3,541 | 6 | #11,938 |
| 2016 | 36 | #4,144 | — | — |
| 2015 | 27 | #5,096 | — | — |
| 2014 | 32 | #4,534 | 6 | #11,844 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5,118 | — | — |
| 2012 | 32 | #4,582 | — | — |
| 2011 | 13 | #9,050 | — | — |
| 2010 | 9 | #12,071 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,712 | — | — |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,911 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | 6 | #3,273 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,921 | — | — |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,705 | — | — |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,616 | 6 | #3,939 |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,918 | — | — |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,553 | 7 | #3,764 |
| 1915 | 10 | #2,865 | 7 | #3,344 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,702 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Rue
- Rue McClanahan Actor · 1934–2010
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Rue in 2025?
Rue ranked #1,324 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 169 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Rue?
1,884 babies have been named Rue in the United States since 1896, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Rue most popular?
Rue peaked in 2024, when 205 newborns received the name.
Is Rue a boy or girl name?
Rue is used for both: about 83% of babies named Rue have been girls and 17% boys.
Is the name Rue rising or falling?
Rue is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Rue?
Well-known people named Rue include Rue McClanahan (actor).