Ruben
From Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (r'uvén).
Every Ruben since 1880 — 117,207 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ruben
Ruben is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #480 in 2025 with 632 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 117,207 American babies have been named Ruben. Its peak came in 1992, when 1,814 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Ruben stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ruben 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 | — | — | 632 | #480 |
| 2024 | — | — | 607 | #505 |
| 2023 | — | — | 629 | #482 |
| 2022 | — | — | 670 | #460 |
| 2021 | — | — | 653 | #460 |
| 2020 | — | — | 637 | #466 |
| 2019 | — | — | 743 | #418 |
| 2018 | — | — | 753 | #416 |
| 2017 | — | — | 749 | #418 |
| 2016 | — | — | 801 | #397 |
| 2015 | — | — | 864 | #374 |
| 2014 | — | — | 893 | #359 |
| 2013 | — | — | 889 | #355 |
| 2012 | — | — | 959 | #330 |
| 2011 | — | — | 977 | #323 |
| 2010 | — | — | 1,102 | #297 |
| 2009 | 6 | #16,864 | 1,199 | #282 |
| 2008 | — | — | 1,356 | #257 |
| 2007 | — | — | 1,479 | #243 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,597 | #225 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,603 | 1,466 | #234 |
| 2004 | 5 | #18,243 | 1,601 | #218 |
| 2003 | — | — | 1,655 | #215 |
| 2002 | — | — | 1,572 | #219 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,736 | #207 |
| 2000 | 6 | #14,648 | 1,718 | #207 |
| 1995 | 6 | #13,017 | 1,697 | #184 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,747 | 1,744 | #178 |
| 1985 | 21 | #3,956 | 1,454 | #180 |
| 1980 | 21 | #3,817 | 1,487 | #165 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,872 | 1,376 | #172 |
| 1970 | 13 | #4,433 | 1,326 | #198 |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,371 | 1,149 | #212 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,121 | 1,357 | #208 |
| 1955 | 11 | #3,747 | 1,293 | #199 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,758 | 1,026 | #200 |
| 1945 | — | — | 560 | #238 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,919 | 443 | #267 |
| 1935 | — | — | 489 | #240 |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,140 | 515 | #244 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,646 | 427 | #277 |
| 1920 | — | — | 336 | #314 |
| 1915 | — | — | 256 | #330 |
| 1910 | — | — | 83 | #269 |
| 1905 | — | — | 41 | #315 |
| 1900 | — | — | 50 | #296 |
| 1895 | — | — | 37 | #300 |
| 1890 | — | — | 25 | #356 |
| 1885 | — | — | 28 | #325 |
| 1880 | — | — | 30 | #311 |
Famous people named Ruben
- Ruben Sevak Writer · 1885–1915
- Ruben I, Prince of Armenia Politician · 1025–1095
- Ruben III, Prince of Armenia Politician · 1145–1187
- Ruben Östlund Film director · b. 1974
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson Actor · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ruben mean?
From Hebrew רְאוּבֵן (r'uvén).
How popular is the name Ruben in 2025?
Ruben ranked #480 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 632 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ruben?
117,207 babies have been named Ruben in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ruben most popular?
Ruben peaked in 1992, when 1,814 newborns received the name.
Is Ruben a boy or girl name?
Ruben is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ruben rising or falling?
Ruben is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ruben?
Well-known people named Ruben include Ruben Sevak (writer), Ruben I, Prince of Armenia (politician), Ruben III, Prince of Armenia (politician).