Total births
4,871
Boys' name · since 1886
Rueben
Rueben has 4,871 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1921 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5458
- among boys today
- 4,871
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other boys
4,871 babies have been named Rueben since 1886, making it today's #5458 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Rueben has been recorded 4,871 times among boys since 1886, currently ranked #5458 nationally and more common than 62% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- #5458 among boys today
- 4,871 born since 1886
- 1920s peak decade
- 62% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Rueben is currently the #5458 boys' name in America, more common than 62% of boys - 4,871 born since 1886, peaking in the 1920s.
- #5458
- among boys today
- 4,871
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other boys
Rueben vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5458
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 62% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
12% of everyone ever named Rueben was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
72 babies were named Rueben in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Rueben compares
4,871 Top 12% higher than 88% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Rueben's all-time total is 13x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Rueben | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,871 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 72 | 23 | 22,252 |
Rueben's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Rueben's full recorded timeline at 1962, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1901, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1921 peak of 72 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Rueben at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#5,458
Active since
1886
Rueben popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 72
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Rueben by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Rueben's strongest decade.
579 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Rueben births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 7
1880s
7 births
- 1890s 26
1890s
26 births
- 1900s 41
1900s
41 births
- 1910s
1910s
376 births
- 1920s
1920s
579 births
- 1930s
1930s
314 births
- 1940s
1940s
311 births
- 1950s
1950s
398 births
- 1960s
1960s
422 births
- 1970s
1970s
507 births
- 1980s
1980s
576 births
- 1990s
1990s
508 births
- 2000s
2000s
391 births
- 2010s
2010s
277 births
- 2020s 138
2020s
138 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 579 births (12% of all-time use).
How Rueben compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Rueben's total volume
Rueben vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Rueben by state
Where Rueben concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 540 | 11.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 440 | 9.0% |
| #3 | Minnesota | | 167 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Wisconsin | | 135 | 2.8% |
| #5 | North Dakota | | 112 | 2.3% |
| #6 | Arizona | | 41 | 0.8% |
| #7 | New Mexico | | 16 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 15 | 0.3% |
California share of Rueben's total US births 11.1%
Even split
540 of 4,871 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 14 reporting states.
Rueben appears in 14 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Rueben? ▼
Since 1886, Social Security records show 4,871 babies named Rueben. Today it holds rank #5458 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1921, with 72 births.
When was Rueben most popular? ▼
Rueben was most popular in the 1920s decade with 579 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Rueben most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Rueben are California (540 births), Texas (440 births), Minnesota (167 births).
How long has the name Rueben been used? ▼
Rueben has been recorded in Social Security data since 1886, spanning 140 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Rueben? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Ruel, Rue, Rueger, Ruey, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Rueben's data
- Rueben's decade-level peak was the 1920s (579 total births); usage has since declined to 138 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Ruebens (540 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Rueben
Nearby Names Like Rueben
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Rueben
Ruel Boy
#7270 1,921 births
Rue Boy
#5462 319 births
Rueger Boy
56 births
Ruey Boy
10 births
Ruebin Boy
6 births
Compare Rueben side by side: Rueben vs Ruel Rueben vs Rue Rueben vs Rueger
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Rueben
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Rueben: #5458 Boys' Name - 4,871 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/rueben. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Rueben draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.