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Name Lineage

    The first name Ruben

    A boy’s name from Hebrew.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    From Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (r'uvén).

    A form of Reuben.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 527 boys were named Ruben, making it the 100th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 540 births (#110).

    0300600 1996200020052010201520202025
    8,741
    babies named Ruben, 1996–2025
    #100
    rank in 2025
    2021
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ruben with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ruben at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 632 boys born in the United States were named Ruben, the 480th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1992, when 1,805 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    117,207
    babies named Ruben since 1880
    #480
    rank in 2025
    1992
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Ruben

    95 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Ruben Loftus-Cheek
      English association football player (born 1996)
    • Ruben Fleischer
      American film director, born 1974
    • Rubén Galván
      Argentine association football player (1952-2018)
    • Rubén Salazar Gómez
      Colobmbian Roman Catholic priest, cardina, archbishop emeritus of Bogotá, born 1942
    • Ruben Gallego
      American politician (born 1979)
    • Ruben Studdard
      American singer, born 1978
    • Rubén González
      Cuban pianist (1919-2003)
    • Ruben Houkes
      Dutch judoka, born 1979
    • Ruben Aguilar
      French footballer (born 1993)
    • Rubén Wolkowyski
      Argentine basketball player (born 1973)
    • Rubén Ayala
      Argentine footballer, born 1950
    • Ruben Sevak
      Armenian poet (1885–1915)

    More Hebrew boys’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ruben mean?
    From Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (r'uvén).
    What is the origin of the name Ruben?
    From Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (r'uvén).
    How popular is the name Ruben?
    In 2025, 527 boys born in England and Wales were named Ruben, ranking 100th. Its peak was 2021, with 540 births.
    Is Ruben a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 117,207 US babies named Ruben since 1880 were boys.
    When was Ruben most popular?
    1992 in the United States, when 1,805 babies were named Ruben, its highest rank at 178th.
    What name is Ruben a form of?
    Ruben is a form of Reuben.
    What are other spellings of Ruben?
    Rubin and Reuben.
    Is Ruben also a surname?
    Yes. Ruben is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.