Charlene vs Ruth
Charlene and Ruthcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
In 2015, Charlene was ranked #896 and Ruth #127 among girls in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Girls
In 2006, Charlene was ranked #384 and Ruth #184 among girls in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2024, Charlene was ranked #3015 and Ruth #497 among girls in England and Wales.
Charlene and Ruth over time
Charlene and Ruth appear together in 3 published lists, across 75 years of shared records. Ruth held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Charlene in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Ruth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Charlene in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlene and Ruth were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Girls for 38 years, from 1976 to 2015, ending at #896 and #127.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Charlene #410 in 1996, Ruth #120 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1976–2015
Charlene held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Ruth in 37.
Highest recorded here: Charlene #52 in 1988, Ruth #42 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Charlene #896, Ruth #127.
England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charlene held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ruth in 29.
Highest recorded here: Charlene #410 in 1996, Ruth #120 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlene #3015, Ruth #497.
Northern Ireland · Girls8 shared years, 1997–2006
Charlene held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ruth in 8.
Highest recorded here: Charlene #188 in 2002, Ruth #75 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Charlene #384, Ruth #184.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Charlene | Ruth |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | female | female |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as '(female) friend' or 'companion', probably a contraction of Hebrew re'ut. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈruːθ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Girls #3015 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Girls #247 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ruth has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Charlene does not have one recorded yet.
- Charlene has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Ruth.
- A meaning is recorded for Ruth; Charlene doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Charlene
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #497 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1976–2015
Highest recorded position: #52 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1988 (recorded 1976–2015).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #3015 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Ruth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #35 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Girls
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #35 among girls in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #299 among girls in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Girls