Reuben
ROO-ben · 2 syllables
♂ Male ◎ Hebrew ◈ 2 syllables
"Behold, a son"

From Hebrew

Reuben means behold, a son — from the Hebrew. In the Bible, Reuben IS Jacob's firstborn — 'Behold, a son!' The Reuben sandwich IS one of America's most iconic foods. Two syllables of Jacob's-firstborn, the most biblical exclamation, and America's-most-iconic-sandwich.

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Reuben at a glance
MeaningBehold, a son
OriginHebrew
GenderMale
Syllables2
NumerologyLife Path 2
US Rank (today)#880
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Why parents love Reuben
  • Reuben IS Jacob's FIRSTBORN — 'Behold, a son!'
  • The most biblical exclamation of birth.
  • The Reuben sandwich IS America's most iconic.
  • Two syllables with a warm, Hebrew sound: ROO-ben.
  • The meaning behold-a-son is maximally direct.
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The vibe of Reuben
behold a sonHebrewJacobfirstbornbiblicalexclamationReuben sandwichiconicAmerican
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Origin & history of Reuben
Hebrew Re'uven (behold, a son!) → Reuben
1
Hebrew roots
Reuben means behold, a son. Jacob's firstborn. The Reuben sandwich IS America's most iconic.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Biblical — Genesis 29:32.
3
Today
Reuben remains a beloved choice, ranking #880 in the US. 31,896 babies have been named Reuben since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
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How popular is Reuben?
1920 peak year
Its strongest stretch was the 1920s — when Reuben was at its most popular. At its height in 1920, Reuben reached #254 nationally — 465 babies received it that single year. Today, Reuben is a moderately popular name in U.S. records (ranked #880) with about 259 babies named Reuben each year. Reuben's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 31,896 babies have been registered as Reuben since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
465 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #254)
259 Avg. per year
(last decade)
2,590 Total registrations
last 10 years
31,896 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #880) Popular
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Reuben
2
Life path number
The Peacemaker
Diplomacy, harmony and deep empathy.

Reuben's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — firstborn nurturing. People named Reuben tend to be warm, direct, and gifted at being the most biblical firstborn exclamation.

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Most biblical firstborn
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Jacob's-first
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Behold-a-son!
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Sandwich-iconic
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Hebrew-warm
R9
E5
U3
B2
E5
N5
Sum: 29 → Life path 2
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Personality of Reuben
🕊️
Peaceful
They bring calm to every room.
💞
Deeply loving
Their love runs deep and steady.
🎭
Intuitive
They read people with extraordinary accuracy.
🎵
Artistic soul
Beauty speaks to them powerfully.
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Famous people named Reuben

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Names that sound like Reuben

If you love Reuben, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.

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Names that combine with Reuben

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Reuben.

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Middle names for Reuben

The right middle name turns Reuben into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

Want a personalised middle name for Reuben? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Reuben is a beautiful choice.
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