Ruby
Ruby was the number 41 most popular girls' name in England and Wales in 2024, given to 1,020 babies that year, according to the Office for National Statistics. It moved down 2 places from rank 39 in 2023. As general background, Ruby is usually said to be of Latin origin, meaning the red gemstone, from ruber, red. The popularity figures are the real ONS count and rank; the meaning is widely attested etymology, not a claim about any individual.
Ruby in the ONS data
| ONS rank (2024, England and Wales) | 41 of the girls' names |
| Babies given this name (2024) | 1,020 |
| Registered as a | girl's name |
| Change since 2023 | down 2 places from rank 39 in 2023 |
Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition, released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. The rank and count are the real ONS figures for England and Wales. Refreshed each year on the ONS release.
What Ruby means
Ruby is usually described as a name of Latin origin, meaning the red gemstone, from ruber, red. This is general etymological background drawn from established naming reference works. It describes the name's history and is not a claim about any individual who carries it.
Meanings and origins are general background, not ONS data and not advice.
Ruby also appears in these lists
Ruby is one of the ONS 2024 top 50 names and one of our picks for these baby name themes.
Names like Ruby
Other names from the ONS 2024 rankings that share a theme with Ruby.
Nearby in the girls' ranking
- 40. Ada
- 41. Ruby
- 42. Violet
Editor, BabyData
Oliver Mackman is the named editor of BabyData and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every number to cite the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind it, with pregnancy tools reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.
Last reviewed: 12 June 2026