Ruben
Say it: ROO-ben
BoyMeans usually explained as "behold, a son"5 letters2 syllables
#188
in Ireland (2025)
25
babies in 2025
#178
best rank (2021)
485
babies since 1976
Up 22
10-year rank change
Ruben through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #188 |
| 2024 | 24 | #197 |
| 2023 | 28 | #180 |
| 2022 | 20 | #233 |
| 2021 | 30 | #178 |
| 2020 | 21 | #224 |
| 2019 | 16 | #278 |
| 2018 | 17 | #267 |
| 2017 | 16 | #281 |
| 2016 | 30 | #190 |
| 2015 | 26 | #210 |
| 2014 | 25 | #226 |
| 2013 | 22 | #245 |
| 2012 | 29 | #202 |
| 2011 | 16 | #289 |
| 2010 | 23 | #234 |
| 2009 | 24 | #227 |
| 2008 | 25 | #213 |
| 2007 | 11 | #309 |
| 2006 | 10 | #296 |
| 2005 | 6 | #370 |
| 2004 | 15 | #203 |
| 2003 | 11 | #245 |
| 2002 | 9 | #249 |
| 2001 | 3 | #409 |
| 1976 | 3 | #316 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Ruben mean?
Usually explained as "behold, a son"
Hebrew, a form of Reuben, the name of the eldest son of Jacob.
Say it right
ROOben
The story of Ruben
Ruben is a form of Reuben, from the Hebrew Re’uven. The name is usually explained as “behold, a son”. In the Bible, Reuben is the firstborn of the twelve sons of Jacob, and one of the tribes of Israel is named after him.
Ruben first reached the CSO list in 1976, but it stayed very rare until the 2000s. It had its biggest year in 2016, with 30 boys, and its best rank came in 2021, at number 178. The CSO counts Ruben and Reuben separately. It has been a little more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 163 in 2022.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Ruben (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Reuben
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ruben | 25 | 485 |
In Northern Ireland
#270 in 2025 with 6 babies. Best rank #163 (2022); 165 babies since 2004.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.