Declining since 1993, #480 for boys today.
Popularity of Ruben since 1880
Babies named Ruben per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 299 |
| 1890s | 373 |
| 1900s | 504 |
| 1910s | 1,989 |
| 1920s | 4,143 |
| 1930s | 4,644 |
| 1940s | 6,319 |
| 1950s | 12,395 |
| 1960s | 12,623 |
| 1970s | 13,538 |
| 1980s | 14,858 |
| 1990s | 16,930 |
| 2000s | 15,379 |
| 2010s | 8,730 |
| 2020s | 3,828 |
Meaning & origin
Ruben remains a steady if less common choice in the United States. In 2025, it ranked 480th with approximately 1 in 2703 newborn boys receiving the name, reflecting its gradual decline from a 1992 peak year. The name is especially concentrated in southwestern states like New Mexico (NM), Texas (TX), and California (CA), regions with strong Hispanic and Dutch heritage communities. Its trajectory has been falling since 1993, as the spelling Reuben has become more prominent in English-speaking countries. Ruben offers a classic biblical name with a cross-cultural appeal, familiar across Dutch, Scandinavian, Spanish, and Portuguese traditions.
Ruben is a Dutch and Scandinavian form of Reuben, the biblical eldest son of Jacob and Leah. The name derives from the Hebrew phrase 're'u ben' meaning 'behold, a son,' reflecting Leah's joy at his birth. It has been consistently used in the Netherlands and Scandinavia since the Protestant Reformation.
Where Ruben is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Ruben” around the world
Where Ruben lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
245
babies in 2024
Ireland
25
babies in 2025
Quebec
5
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Rube, Ben
Variants: Reuben, Rúben, Rubén
Sibling names for Ruben
Names that share Ruben's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Ruben
Names whose popularity has moved with Ruben's over the last 50 years.
