Ruble (Rouble) (from Russian: рубль "rubl" , from Old Russian рубли "rubli" "cut" or "piece", probably originally a piece cut from a silver ingot bar (grivna) from Russian руби́ть, "rubiti" meaning "to chop". Historically, "ruble" was a piece of a certain weight chopped off a silver ingot (grivna), hence the name. An alternate etymology may suggest the name comes from the Russian noun рубе́ц, rubets, i.e., the seam that is left around the coin after casting: silver was added to the cast in two goes. Therefore, the word ruble means "a cast with a seam".) The Russian unit of currency.