NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Rheuben

A masculine name derived from the Hebrew name "Reuven", meaning "behold, a son".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Rheuben is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Rheuben popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4685, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2009 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Rheuben. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2014 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Rheuben ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 3 boys were registered as Rheuben.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rheuben as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4685

2013

Births in 2013

3

Latest year

Peak year

2009

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Rheuben mean?

The name Rheuben is derived from the Hebrew name Reuven, which means "behold, a son" or "see, a son is born." It is the name of one of the twelve sons of Jacob, the patriarch of the Israelites, mentioned in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible.

Reuven was the firstborn son of Jacob and his wife Leah. According to biblical accounts, he was born in Paddan-Aram, which is present-day Syria, around the 18th century BCE. The name Reuven is closely related to the Hebrew word "re'u" meaning "to see" or "to behold."

The earliest recorded use of the name Rheuben can be traced back to the King James Version of the Bible, published in 1611, where it is spelled as "Reuben." This English transliteration of the Hebrew name became popular among English-speaking populations.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Rheuben or its variants. One of the most famous was Reuben Salford (1849-1915), an American architect known for designing many prominent buildings in San Francisco, including the Palace Hotel and the Flood Building.

Another notable bearer of the name was Reuben Fine (1914-1993), an American chess grandmaster and writer on chess. He was one of the world's strongest players in the 1930s and 1940s, and he authored several influential books on chess strategy and theory.

In the world of literature, Reuben Sachs (1827-1896) was a British lawyer and writer who authored several novels and short stories, including "The Mysteries of Verbena House" and "The Fortunes of Maurice Velliers."

Reuben A. Snake (1837-1912) was an American Baptist minister and educator, best known for founding the Virginia Union University, one of the oldest historically black universities in the United States.

Reuben Woolley (1886-1958) was a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout the early 20th century, including the 1936 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' "The Cricket on the Hearth."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Rheuben over time

The chart below shows babies named Rheuben registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Rheuben, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Rheuben
01223200920112013

Decades

Rheuben by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rheuben was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4685 3 1
2000s #4527 3 1

Related

Names similar to Rheuben

FAQ

Rheuben: questions and answers

How popular is the name Rheuben in the UK right now?

In 2013, Rheuben was ranked #4685 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Rheuben most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 3 babies registered as Rheuben in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Rheuben?

A masculine name derived from the Hebrew name "Reuven", meaning "behold, a son".

How many people are called Rheuben in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Rheuben across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.