Fun Facts About the Name Ruel
- More than 1 thousand babies named Ruel: U.S. records list 1,925 babies given the name Ruel from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 girls received the name Ruel - about 1 girl for every 384 boys.
What Does the Name Ruel Mean?
Ruel is a shortened form of the Hebrew name Reuel, meaning "friend of God." The Hebrew form is Re'u'el (רְעוּאֵל), built from re'a, "friend" or "companion," and El, "God." The alternative English rendering "God is his friend" uses the same two elements rather than a different derivation. The spelling Ruel is the usual French biblical form of Reuel and is also used in English as a given name.
Ruel Name History & Origins
The Hebrew Bible uses Re'u'el for several figures. Exodus 2:18 names Reuel as the father of Zipporah, whom Moses marries; Numbers 10:29 calls Hobab the son of Reuel and identifies Reuel as Moses' father-in-law. Other passages give Moses' father-in-law as Jethro. The relationship among Reuel, Jethro, and Hobab is an old harmonizing problem, not a settled genealogy. Genesis 36 also gives Reuel as a son of Esau and an Edomite chief.
The Greek Septuagint renders the name as Ragouēl, which leads to the Latin Raguel and the English Raguel found in some older translations. Modern English Bibles generally use Reuel. The shorter spelling Ruel appears in French Bibles and has been adopted in English as a given-name spelling of Reuel.
How Popular is the Name Ruel?
Ruel recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1915. Its best rank was #697 in 1893.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | #3,623 | 5 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,377 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #7,618 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #8,142 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #8,184 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #11,858 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #13,662 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #9,584 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #7,515 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #10,555 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #9,504 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #6,557 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2013 | #8,631 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #10,539 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,638 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #7,481 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #14,087 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #8,937 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #6,443 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #8,471 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #7,516 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #8,161 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #10,095 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #9,661 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #6,204 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #9,043 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #6,316 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #6,855 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #4,648 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #5,570 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #5,433 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #4,137 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #4,479 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #7,086 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #5,359 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #4,073 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #5,654 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #6,178 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,837 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #6,254 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #6,103 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #4,434 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #4,775 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #5,634 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #3,795 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #3,228 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #4,694 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,523 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #3,647 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1972 | #3,556 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #2,532 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1970 | #2,715 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #3,271 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #2,092 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #2,119 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #2,439 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1965 | #3,199 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1964 | #2,636 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1963 | #3,279 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1962 | #3,010 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #2,873 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1960 | #2,024 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1959 | #2,183 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1958 | #2,349 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1957 | #2,076 | 16 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #2,078 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1955 | #2,033 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #2,194 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1953 | #2,092 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1952 | #2,485 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1951 | #1,960 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1950 | #1,567 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1949 | #2,010 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #2,013 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #1,904 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1946 | #1,431 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1945 | #1,683 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1944 | #1,616 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1943 | #2,061 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1942 | #1,526 | 22 | 0.0016% |
| 1941 | #1,744 | 17 | 0.0014% |
| 1940 | #1,617 | 19 | 0.0016% |
| 1939 | #1,215 | 30 | 0.0027% |
| 1938 | #1,516 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1937 | #1,571 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1936 | #1,222 | 30 | 0.0029% |
| 1935 | #1,904 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1934 | #1,353 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1933 | #1,089 | 37 | 0.0037% |
| 1932 | #1,380 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1931 | #1,453 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1930 | #1,298 | 31 | 0.0028% |
| 1929 | #1,263 | 32 | 0.0030% |
| 1928 | #1,409 | 28 | 0.0025% |
| 1927 | #1,107 | 42 | 0.0037% |
| 1926 | #1,275 | 33 | 0.0030% |
| 1925 | #1,019 | 46 | 0.0041% |
| 1924 | #1,042 | 47 | 0.0041% |
| 1923 | #1,174 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1922 | #1,176 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1921 | #1,176 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1920 | #1,344 | 30 | 0.0028% |
| 1919 | #1,226 | 34 | 0.0035% |
| 1918 | #1,339 | 29 | 0.0029% |
| 1917 | #1,289 | 29 | 0.0031% |
| 1916 | #1,174 | 32 | 0.0036% |
| 1915 | #890 | 49 | 0.0058% |
| 1914 | #1,094 | 28 | 0.0043% |
| 1913 | #1,043 | 24 | 0.0047% |
| 1912 | #1,018 | 21 | 0.0049% |
| 1911 | #1,706 | 6 | 0.0027% |
| 1910 | #1,291 | 8 | 0.0041% |
| 1909 | #1,073 | 9 | 0.0055% |
| 1908 | #1,349 | 6 | 0.0039% |
| 1907 | #1,185 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1906 | #913 | 9 | 0.0068% |
| 1905 | #1,074 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1903 | #726 | 11 | 0.0092% |
| 1901 | #1,040 | 6 | 0.0056% |
| 1900 | #1,147 | 7 | 0.0047% |
| 1899 | #1,180 | 5 | 0.0047% |
| 1898 | #980 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1897 | #1,039 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1894 | #939 | 7 | 0.0060% |
| 1893 | #697 | 10 | 0.0089% |
| 1892 | #941 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1891 | #1,101 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1887 | #1,045 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1882 | #1,069 | 5 | 0.0044% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Ruel Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Ruel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Ruel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.