First names in Hebrew

First name Ruth: meaning, origin and its Hebrew spelling

רות

Gematria value: 606

Its spelling

In Hebrew, Ruth is written רות

Meaning and origin

What does Ruth mean?

Meaning: of debated origin, often linked to "friend, companion"
Origin: Hebrew

Ruth is a name from the Hebrew Bible, that of the heroine of a whole book. Its meaning is debated: it is most often linked to reut, “friendship, companion”. The Talmud offers another reading: she was called Ruth because from her would descend David, who would fill God's heart with songs and praises (Berakhot 7b).

Gematria

Ruth = 606

In Hebrew, every letter is also a number. Added together, the letters of the name give its value: this is gematria. רות has 3 letters:

• רthe letter Resh200
• וthe letter Vav6
• תthe letter Tav400
• Total606

The verse of the name

From the letter Resh to the letter Tav

An ancient custom gives each person a verse: the one that begins with the first letter of their name and ends with the last. For Ruth, from ר to ת:

רָשָׁע עֹשֶׂה פְעֻלַּת־שָׁקֶר וְזֹרֵעַ צְדָקָה שֶׂכֶר אֱמֶת׃

“The wicked earns deceptive wages, but whoever sows righteousness gains a true reward.”

Proverbs 11:18

The book of your first name

Ruth, in nine pages

• Ruth, in Hebrew
• Letter by letter
• The number of your name
• The verse of your name
• The portrait of Ruth
• Ruth, day to day
• What tradition says about names
• The sources

Frequently asked

Ruth in three answers

How do you write Ruth in Hebrew?
In Hebrew, Ruth is written רות.

What is the gematria value of Ruth?
Written רות, Ruth is worth 606: the letter Resh (200) + the letter Vav (6) + the letter Tav (400).

What does Ruth mean?
Of debated origin, often linked to "friend, companion (origin: Hebrew). Ruth is a name from the Hebrew Bible, that of the heroine of a whole book. Its meaning is debated: it is most often linked to reut, “friendship, companion”. The Talmud offers another reading: she was called Ruth because from her would descend David, who would fill God's heart with songs and praises (Berakhot 7b).