Rube
A diminutive of the male given name Reuben.
Every Rube since 1880 — 612 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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
- Rube Goldberg Writer · 1883–1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).