Ruthie

Ruthie is an English diminutive of Ruth, a name drawn from the Hebrew root re'ut, meaning friend or companion. The name Ruth is famously borne by the biblical Moabite woman whose loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi is celebrated in the Book of Ruth, one of the oldest books of the Hebrew scriptures. Ruthie functions as an affectionate pet form and is sometimes used as an independent given name in English-speaking countries. Related forms include Ruth and the Latinate variant Rutha.