Ruben

Ruben - A very unique male name

Ruben appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #337. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ruben and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ruben? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ruben. The baby boy name Ruben was given to 587 baby boys in 2025, ranking #486 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,498 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ruben peaked in popularity 46 years ago in 1980 on position 166.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ruben, 1-5?

Ruben is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ruben is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #234 - and is the least popular in Ohio at position #926.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ruben is where you live.

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Ruben origin and meaning

Form of Reuben (Hebrew), via Spanish Rubén

From Reuben: 'behold, a son' (Hebrew Re'uven)

Ruben is Reuben as spelled in Spanish (Rubén, without the accent in US records) and in several European languages — Jacob's eldest son in Genesis. It has been in US data since 1910, peaked in 1992, and drifts slowly downward while remaining a cross-cultural staple.

Attested etymology

Ruben is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Ruben, pop culture references for the name Ruben and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ruben

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ruben, sorted by popularity.

Robin / Reuben / Rubin / Rueben / Raven / Reuven / Rufino / Rayvon / Robbin / Ruvim /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ruben

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ruben a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ruben?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

ROO-ben · /ˈrubən/

Around the world

• Rubén (Spanish) — The accented Spanish form.
• Reuben (English) — The English biblical spelling.
• Ruben (German and Dutch) — Used as-is in German and Dutch.

Spellings and nicknames

• Reuben — The English spelling.
• Rubin — Spelling that is also a surname form.

Nicknames: BenRube

Famous bearers

• Ruben Studdard — Singer, winner of the second season of American Idol (b. 1978) Contemporary
• Ruben Fleischer — Film director of Zombieland and Venom (b. 1974) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Ruben is a warm, cross-cultural biblical name — equally at home in Spanish-, German- and English-speaking families. Parents like its softness compared with Benjamin-style classics.

Worth knowing

• The Reuben sandwich is a real and frequent joke.
• Spellings split between Ruben, Reuben and Rubén.