Ruben
Last seen for girls in 2009 at #15,242 · #480 for boys in 2025, 632 births
Given to boys 99.4% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1980 · 1,487 births
- Debut · boys
- 30 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 116,552since 1880
Ruben over time
Rank among boys' names. Ruben has never cracked the top 100 here.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #480 | 632 | |
| 2024 | — | #504 | 607 | |
| 2023 | — | #481 | 629 | |
| 2022 | — | #458 | 670 | |
| 2021 | — | #460 | 653 | |
| 2020 | — | #465 | 637 | |
| 2019 | — | #415 | 743 | |
| 2018 | — | #416 | 753 | |
| 2017 | — | #418 | 749 | |
| 2016 | — | #396 | 801 | |
| 2015 | — | #374 | 864 | |
| 2014 | — | #359 | 893 | |
| 2013 | — | #355 | 889 | |
| 2012 | — | #329 | 959 | |
| 2011 | — | #323 | 977 | |
| 2010 | — | #297 | 1,102 | |
| 2009 | #15,242 | 6 | #282 | 1,199 |
| 2008 | — | #257 | 1,356 | |
| 2007 | — | #243 | 1,479 | |
| 2006 | — | #225 | 1,597 | |
| 2005 | #16,462 | 5 | #234 | 1,466 |
| 2004 | #16,099 | 5 | #218 | 1,601 |
| 2003 | — | #215 | 1,655 | |
| 2002 | — | #219 | 1,572 | |
| 2001 | — | #207 | 1,736 | |
| 2000 | #13,154 | 6 | #206 | 1,718 |
| 1999 | #7,716 | 12 | #209 | 1,637 |
| 1998 | #14,122 | 5 | #205 | 1,583 |
| 1997 | #13,724 | 5 | #199 | 1,595 |
| 1996 | #13,518 | 5 | #190 | 1,663 |
| 1995 | #11,783 | 6 | #184 | 1,697 |
| 1994 | #6,672 | 13 | #181 | 1,725 |
| 1993 | #7,498 | 11 | #184 | 1,749 |
| 1992 | #8,734 | 9 | #178 | 1,805 |
| 1991 | #5,181 | 18 | #183 | 1,732 |
| 1990 | #7,303 | 11 | #178 | 1,744 |
| 1989 | #5,286 | 16 | #186 | 1,598 |
| 1988 | #5,065 | 16 | #178 | 1,594 |
| 1987 | #7,353 | 9 | #180 | 1,527 |
| 1986 | #8,523 | 7 | #186 | 1,382 |
| 1985 | #3,852 | 21 | #180 | 1,454 |
| 1984 | #4,478 | 16 | #183 | 1,374 |
| 1983 | #4,884 | 14 | #174 | 1,497 |
| 1982 | #5,209 | 13 | #177 | 1,472 |
| 1981 | #6,804 | 9 | #169 | 1,473 |
| 1980 | #3,719 | 21 | #165 | 1,487 |
| 1979 | #4,420 | 16 | #172 | 1,396 |
| 1978 | #8,562 | 6 | #172 | 1,380 |
| 1977 | #4,652 | 14 | #173 | 1,365 |
| 1976 | #5,215 | 11 | #171 | 1,360 |
| 1975 | #5,516 | 10 | #172 | 1,376 |
| 1974 | #5,011 | 11 | #172 | 1,382 |
| 1973 | #4,586 | 12 | #179 | 1,309 |
| 1972 | #3,714 | 16 | #184 | 1,321 |
| 1971 | #4,810 | 11 | #191 | 1,323 |
| 1970 | #4,246 | 13 | #198 | 1,326 |
| 1969 | #4,198 | 12 | #201 | 1,236 |
| 1968 | #5,642 | 7 | #204 | 1,138 |
| 1967 | #4,982 | 8 | #197 | 1,174 |
| 1966 | #5,809 | 6 | #200 | 1,195 |
| 1965 | #5,817 | 6 | #212 | 1,149 |
| 1964 | #4,636 | 9 | #208 | 1,348 |
| 1963 | #6,592 | 5 | #218 | 1,260 |
| 1962 | #4,263 | 10 | #207 | 1,380 |
| 1961 | #4,239 | 10 | #206 | 1,386 |
| 1960 | #3,920 | 11 | #208 | 1,357 |
| 1959 | #4,300 | 9 | #209 | 1,359 |
| 1958 | #6,103 | 5 | #202 | 1,372 |
| 1957 | #5,377 | 6 | #197 | 1,380 |
| 1956 | #3,048 | 15 | #199 | 1,371 |
| 1955 | #3,571 | 11 | #199 | 1,293 |
| 1954 | #2,779 | 16 | #198 | 1,259 |
| 1953 | #4,595 | 7 | #202 | 1,200 |
| 1952 | #4,908 | 6 | #201 | 1,095 |
| 1951 | #3,482 | 10 | #200 | 1,040 |
| 1950 | #2,652 | 15 | #200 | 1,026 |
| 1949 | #3,612 | 9 | #203 | 998 |
| 1948 | #5,243 | 5 | #209 | 908 |
| 1947 | — | #238 | 738 | |
| 1946 | #4,417 | 6 | #241 | 647 |
| 1945 | — | #238 | 560 | |
| 1944 | #4,054 | 6 | #262 | 507 |
| 1943 | — | #260 | 544 | |
| 1942 | — | #262 | 514 | |
| 1941 | #3,559 | 7 | #258 | 460 |
| 1940 | #4,349 | 5 | #266 | 443 |
| 1939 | — | #254 | 450 | |
| 1938 | #2,730 | 10 | #259 | 445 |
| 1937 | #3,434 | 7 | #238 | 489 |
| 1936 | #3,376 | 7 | #238 | 481 |
| 1935 | — | #240 | 489 | |
| 1934 | — | #255 | 443 | |
| 1933 | #3,406 | 7 | #266 | 398 |
| 1932 | #3,901 | 6 | #247 | 469 |
| 1931 | — | #247 | 465 | |
| 1930 | #4,550 | 5 | #243 | 515 |
| 1929 | — | #253 | 486 | |
| 1928 | #3,743 | 7 | #253 | 491 |
| 1927 | — | #264 | 479 | |
| 1926 | — | #270 | 440 | |
| 1925 | #4,973 | 5 | #277 | 427 |
| 1924 | — | #289 | 398 | |
| 1923 | — | #293 | 368 | |
| 1922 | — | #300 | 361 | |
| 1921 | — | #301 | 357 | |
| 1920 | — | #313 | 336 | |
| 1919 | — | #330 | 292 | |
| 1918 | — | #338 | 286 | |
| 1917 | — | #315 | 289 | |
| 1916 | — | #349 | 237 | |
| 1915 | — | #330 | 256 | |
| 1914 | — | #324 | 199 | |
| 1913 | — | #329 | 154 | |
| 1912 | — | #321 | 134 | |
| 1911 | — | #357 | 59 | |
| 1910 | — | #267 | 83 | |
| 1909 | — | #264 | 71 | |
| 1908 | — | #278 | 60 | |
| 1907 | — | #266 | 62 | |
| 1906 | — | #273 | 52 | |
| 1905 | — | #314 | 41 | |
| 1904 | — | #322 | 38 | |
| 1903 | — | #257 | 50 | |
| 1902 | — | #282 | 45 | |
| 1901 | — | #294 | 35 | |
| 1900 | — | #292 | 50 | |
| 1899 | — | #311 | 32 | |
| 1898 | — | #266 | 45 | |
| 1897 | — | #279 | 42 | |
| 1896 | — | #259 | 49 | |
| 1895 | — | #295 | 37 | |
| 1894 | — | #306 | 33 | |
| 1893 | — | #273 | 41 | |
| 1892 | — | #270 | 44 | |
| 1891 | — | #340 | 25 | |
| 1890 | — | #351 | 25 | |
| 1889 | — | #294 | 33 | |
| 1888 | — | #404 | 21 | |
| 1887 | — | #276 | 34 | |
| 1886 | — | #267 | 40 | |
| 1885 | — | #318 | 28 | |
| 1884 | — | #331 | 28 | |
| 1883 | — | #298 | 30 | |
| 1882 | — | #294 | 34 | |
| 1881 | — | #360 | 21 | |
| 1880 | — | #305 | 30 | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Ruben was already there! It came in at #305, and was given to 30 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1881, when fewer than 31 boys a year got the name.
Where Ruben is popular in 1981
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Texas#66 · 1 in 317
- California#78 · 1 in 373
- Arizona#79 · 1 in 393
- New Mexico#85 · 1 in 372
- Idaho#167 · 1 in 1,168
Best ever in a state: #30 in Arizona, 1930.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | #66 | 434 | 1 in 317 |
| California | #78 | 539 | 1 in 373 |
| Arizona | #79 | 59 | 1 in 393 |
| New Mexico | #85 | 30 | 1 in 372 |
| Idaho | #167 | 7 | 1 in 1,168 |
| Illinois | #177 | 74 | 1 in 1,144 |
| Colorado | #188 | 18 | 1 in 1,324 |
| Florida | #207 | 47 | 1 in 1,339 |
| New York | #209 | 77 | 1 in 1,475 |
| Nebraska | #211 | 6 | 1 in 2,058 |
| Connecticut | #219 | 9 | 1 in 1,981 |
| New Jersey | #231 | 22 | 1 in 1,930 |
| Wisconsin | #258 | 11 | 1 in 3,149 |
| Massachusetts | #271 | 10 | 1 in 3,575 |
| Kansas | #276 | 7 | 1 in 2,595 |
| Washington | #283 | 12 | 1 in 2,647 |
| Indiana | #288 | 12 | 1 in 3,342 |
| Michigan | #303 | 17 | 1 in 3,860 |
| Oregon | #355 | 5 | 1 in 4,014 |
| Georgia | #425 | 9 | 1 in 4,473 |
| North Carolina | #480 | 6 | 1 in 6,305 |
| Ohio | #551 | 7 | 1 in 11,520 |
| Pennsylvania | #590 | 6 | 1 in 12,901 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Ruben
- 24 spots since 2024 (#504 → #480)
- 15 spots since 2020 (#465 → #480)
- 106 spots since 2015 (#374 → #480)
- Biggest jump: 110 spots in 1889 (#404 → #294)
- Biggest drop: 128 spots in 1888 (#276 → #404)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1980 at #165 (1,487 births)
- Births halved by 2019, 39 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Highest: 1 in 1,107 boys born in 1992 were named Ruben (0.09%)
- Latest: 1 in 2,703 boys born in 2025 (0.04%)
- Its best rank, #165 in 1980, was only 1 in 1,200 (0.08%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 14.5% of all boys named Ruben (16,930) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 299 | #267 (1886) | #315 |
| 1890s | 373 | #259 (1896) | #295 |
| 1900s | 504 | #257 (1903) | #284 |
| 1910s | 1,989 | #267 (1910) | #326 |
| 1920s | 4,143 | #253 (1928) | #281 |
| 1930s | 4,644 | #238 (1937) | #249 |
| 1940s | 6,319 | #203 (1949) | #244 |
| 1950s | 12,395 | #197 (1957) | #201 |
| 1960s | 12,623 | #197 (1967) | #206 |
| 1970s | 13,538 | #171 (1976) | #178 |
| 1980s | 14,858 | #165 (1980) | #178 |
| 1990s | 16,930 | #178 (1992) | #189 |
| 2000s | 15,379 | #206 (2000) | #231 |
| 2010s | 8,730 | #297 (2010) | #368 |
| 2020s | 3,828 | #458 (2022) | #475 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Ruben in 1981
Top girls' names in 1981
Top boys' names in 1981
More about 1981
girls
1,668,060 girls got a published name in 1981; 1 in 185,340 of them was named Ruben, which outranked 44.2% of the 12,198 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #6,323Yevette10
- #6,323Yolunda10
- #6,323Zulay10
- #6,804Ruben9
- #6,804Abeni9
- #6,804Adeola9
- #6,804Aidan9
- #7,409Aaren8
- #7,409Aarin8
- #7,409Abigael8
Tied with 604 names at #6,804; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,791,177 boys got a published name in 1981; 1 in 1,216 of them was named Ruben, which outranked 97.7% of the 7,289 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.