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English and German speaking countries

Of uncertain etymology, most think it is derived from a contraction of the Hebrew re'uth ("companion, friend"). The name is borne in the Bible by the wife of Mahlon and daughter-in-law of Naomi. After the death of her husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law, Ruth returned to Bethlehem with Naomi, where she married Boaz and gave birth to Obed, the grandfather of David. Ruth is a symbolic name for girls born on the month of Shavuot because this is when the Book of Ruth is read in the synagogue. As an English noun, 'ruth' means "pity; compassion" and is a synonym of mercy and sympathy.