Rukai was formerly part of the German Empire. In the German Empire, the place was called Rucken.
The place is now called Rukai and belongs to Lithuania.
| Historical place name | Country | Administration | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rucken | German Empire | Tilsit | before the Versailles Treaty |
| Rukai | Lithuania | Pajėgiai | after the Versailles Treaty |
| Rucken | German Empire | Heydekrug | 1939 |
| Rukai | Soviet Union | Pagėgiai/Pagegjaj | 1945 |
| Rukaj | Soviet Union | Pagėgiai/Pagegjaj | 1945 |
| Rukai | Lithuania | Šilutė | 1992 |