In summary, we have developed a coupled Ru nanoparticles and CoO nanorods hybrid electrocatalyst that demonstrates high electrocatalytic activity and durability toward alkaline HER. The outstanding HER performance of Ru/CoO hybrid electrocatalyst, which outperforms most of known state-of-the-art catalysts, originates from the efficient water dissociation on CoO and optimum hydrogen adsorption on Ru. Considering their capability for efficiently and stably catalyzing HER, our specifically designed Ru/CoO hybrid catalyst is promising for direct application in electrochemical devices for overall water splitting. It is highly expected that the performance of Ru/CoO hybrid electrocatalyst can be further enhanced by improving the electrical conductivity of oxide support.