Rube: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among boys

Babies in 2025

named Rube

How common

–

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1917

25 babies

All-time total

612

#6,982 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Rube popularity over time

612 babies have been named Rube since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	86	9	–	#566
1890s	66	7	-23%	#630
1900s	77	8	+17%	#769
1910s	125	13	+62%	#1,408
1920s	115	12	-8%	#1,873
1930s	67	7	-42%	#2,440
1940s	43	4	-36%	#2,932
1950s	22	2	-49%	#3,816
1960s	6	1	-73%	#3,875
1970s	5	1	-17%	#5,739
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	–	–	–
2000s	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

The story of Rube

Rube is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1880, 612 American babies have been named Rube. Its peak came in 1917, when 25 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Rube stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Rube year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–
2024	–	–
2023	–	–
2022	–	–
2021	–	–
2020	–	–
2019	–	–
2018	–	–
2017	–	–
2016	–	–
2015	–	–
2014	–	–
2013	–	–
2012	–	–
2011	–	–
2010	–	–
2009	–	–
2008	–	–
2007	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	–	–
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	6	#3,816
1950	–	–
1945	5	#3,702
1940	6	#3,407
1935	7	#3,210
1930	9	#2,976
1925	11	#2,722
1920	19	#1,873
1915	18	#1,704
1910	–	–
1905	11	#781
1900	12	#778
1895	6	#1,063
1890	5	#1,131
1885	6	#923
1880	6	#890

Famous people named Rube

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Rube Goldberg American cartoonist (1883–1970) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Rube, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

What does the name Rube mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Reuben.

How popular is the name Rube in 2025?

Rube did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Rube?

612 babies have been named Rube in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Rube most popular?

Rube peaked in 1917, when 25 newborns received the name.

Is Rube a boy or girl name?

Rube is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Rube rising or falling?

Rube has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Rube?

Well-known people named Rube include Rube Goldberg (writer).

Names like Rube

Names that sound and feel close to Rube: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Rube with similar names → More names starting with R →