boy's name
Ruben
ROO-ben
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 145,133
the United States
#480
2025 births
Ruben is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "behold, a son." It is the Spanish, Scandinavian and Dutch spelling of Reuben, from the words Leah speaks at his birth in Genesis.
- Ruben is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1992, when 1,814 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,000 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ruben over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Ruben is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 299 |
| 1890s | 373 |
| 1900s | 504 |
| 1910s | 1,989 |
| 1920s | 4,155 |
| 1930s | 4,686 |
| 1940s | 6,357 |
| 1950s | 12,495 |
| 1960s | 12,707 |
| 1970s | 13,658 |
| 1980s | 15,000 |
| 1990s | 17,025 |
| 2000s | 15,401 |
| 2010s | 8,730 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,828 |
What Ruben means
Ruben means behold, a son — a spoken exclamation rather than a description. Genesis gives the naming as direct speech, which is unusual even among biblical names.
Where Ruben comes from
Ruben is the continental European spelling of the Hebrew Re'uven, from re'u, behold, and ben, son. Reuben was the eldest of Jacob's twelve sons and founded one of the tribes of Israel. The h-less Ruben became standard in Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German and the Scandinavian languages, and is the spelling most English speakers meet through the painter Peter Paul Rubens, whose surname is unrelated but reinforces the form. In Spanish the name carries an accent — Rubén — which English drops.
Ruben in use
Our data shows Ruben falling rather than rising, peaking in 1992, at 100 in England and Wales against 480 in the United States. Reuben, the h-bearing spelling, sits at 29 in England and Wales — so in Britain the biblical spelling considerably outranks the continental one, the reverse of the pattern in most of Europe.
How popular is Ruben?
In 2025, Ruben was given to 527 babies in England and Wales, ranking #100 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Ruben is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
How Ruben is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Rubén | Rubén is a rare spelling of Ruben, written with an acute accent and recorded about 195 times, mostly in France. | 195 |
| Rùben | Rùben is a rare spelling of Ruben, written with a grave accent and recorded about 80 times, mostly in France. | 80 |
| Rubèn | Rubèn is a rare spelling of Ruben, written with a grave accent and recorded about 45 times, mostly in France. | 45 |
Names that peaked alongside Ruben
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ruben also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ruben over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Ruben
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ruben in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ruben
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ruben — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ruben
What does the name Ruben mean?
Ruben means "behold, a son," from the Hebrew re'u ben.
What is the difference between Ruben and Reuben?
Only spelling. Ruben is the Spanish, Dutch and Scandinavian form; Reuben follows the Hebrew transliteration.
Is Ruben related to the painter Rubens?
No. Peter Paul Rubens's surname is unconnected, though it has reinforced the h-less spelling in English.
How popular is the name Ruben?
In 2025, Ruben was given to 527 babies in England and Wales, ranking #100 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Ruben a girl's or a boy's name?
Ruben is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Ruben?
Ruben has 2 syllables.
When was Ruben most popular?
Ruben peaked in 1992, when 1,814 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Ruben?
Ruben is usually shortened to Rube and Ben.
Is Ruben a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ruben currently ranks #100 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.