Reuben
A male given name from Hebrew.
Every Reuben since 1880 — 32,190 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Reuben
Reuben is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #889 in 2025 with 269 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 32,190 American babies have been named Reuben. Its peak came in 1920, when 465 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Reuben stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Reuben year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 269 | #889 |
| 2024 | — | — | 283 | #860 |
| 2023 | — | — | 303 | #812 |
| 2022 | — | — | 285 | #852 |
| 2021 | — | — | 263 | #883 |
| 2020 | — | — | 246 | #909 |
| 2019 | — | — | 245 | #893 |
| 2018 | — | — | 229 | #928 |
| 2017 | — | — | 240 | #897 |
| 2016 | — | — | 251 | #875 |
| 2015 | — | — | 258 | #868 |
| 2014 | — | — | 267 | #844 |
| 2013 | — | — | 237 | #880 |
| 2012 | — | — | 215 | #947 |
| 2011 | — | — | 215 | #931 |
| 2010 | — | — | 202 | #978 |
| 2009 | — | — | 242 | #874 |
| 2008 | — | — | 223 | #919 |
| 2007 | — | — | 226 | #891 |
| 2006 | — | — | 236 | #854 |
| 2005 | — | — | 222 | #837 |
| 2004 | — | — | 226 | #801 |
| 2003 | — | — | 233 | #761 |
| 2002 | — | — | 236 | #739 |
| 2001 | — | — | 220 | #775 |
| 2000 | — | — | 215 | #775 |
| 1995 | — | — | 226 | #706 |
| 1990 | — | — | 304 | #582 |
| 1985 | — | — | 279 | #523 |
| 1980 | — | — | 294 | #495 |
| 1975 | — | — | 229 | #530 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,767 | 248 | #512 |
| 1965 | — | — | 214 | #525 |
| 1960 | — | — | 251 | #498 |
| 1955 | — | — | 221 | #497 |
| 1950 | — | — | 206 | #464 |
| 1945 | — | — | 181 | #442 |
| 1940 | — | — | 190 | #425 |
| 1935 | — | — | 227 | #359 |
| 1930 | — | — | 283 | #329 |
| 1925 | — | — | 361 | #301 |
| 1920 | — | — | 465 | #254 |
| 1915 | — | — | 431 | #231 |
| 1910 | — | — | 93 | #251 |
| 1905 | — | — | 88 | #197 |
| 1900 | — | — | 86 | #212 |
| 1895 | — | — | 102 | #155 |
| 1890 | — | — | 75 | #179 |
| 1885 | — | — | 72 | #182 |
| 1880 | — | — | 92 | #149 |
Famous people named Reuben
- Reuben Fine Chess player · 1914–1993
- Reuben Kosgei Athlete · b. 1979
- Reuben Gabriel Soccer player · b. 1990
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Reuben mean?
A male given name from Hebrew.
How popular is the name Reuben in 2025?
Reuben ranked #889 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 269 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Reuben?
32,190 babies have been named Reuben in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Reuben most popular?
Reuben peaked in 1920, when 465 newborns received the name.
Is Reuben a boy or girl name?
Reuben is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Reuben rising or falling?
Reuben is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Reuben?
Well-known people named Reuben include Reuben Fine (chess player), Reuben Kosgei (athlete), Reuben Gabriel (soccer player).