Ruri as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Ruri

What is the meaning of the name Ruri ?

The baby name Ruri is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ɾɯɾi/; English: ROO-ree.

Ruri is Japanese in Origin.

Ruri is a Japanese given name meaning “lapis lazuli,” most often written as 瑠璃 or 琉璃 and also seen in hiragana (るり) or katakana (ルリ). The term entered Japanese through Buddhist vocabulary from Middle Chinese liúli, ultimately tracing back to Sanskrit vaiḍūrya. It evokes the deep azure of ruri-iro, symbolizing clarity, rarity, and auspicious beauty in Japanese aesthetics and temple art. While primarily feminine, it can be unisex depending on kanji choice.

As a personal name, Ruri gained visibility in the modern era and is familiar through literature, anime, and contemporary pop culture, aligning with Japan’s fondness for color- and gem-inspired names. Flexible spellings allow alternative kanji with different nuances (e.g., 留里 “stay, village” or 流理 “flow, reason”), though the lapis sense remains the best known. Related forms include Ruriko (瑠璃子), Rurika, and Rurina. Outside Japan, Ruri also appears in Indonesia as a masculine nickname, unrelated etymologically.