reuben

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Reuben

Reuben is a traditional name with deep Hebrew origins, meaning ‘behold, a son.’ It was also the name of Jacob and Leah’s eldest son in the Old Testament, who became the forefather of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew equivalent of this name is Re’uven, which stems from two Hebrew words, ‘ra’a,’ meaning ‘to see, to understand,’ and ‘ben,’ implying ‘son.’ Reuben has been a common Christian name in England since the Protestant Reformation.

The name is mentioned in the book of Genesis 29:32, which states that “And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben.” According to Biblical information, Leah was not Jacob’s favorite wife, which distressed her, but she was blessed with the joy of her first son, who was given the name Reuben.

The name Reuben has been historically carried by Armenian princes, with the first occurrence being in 1025 with Reuben I, the prince of Armenia and the founder of the Rubenid dynasty. The name has acquired many variations over time, such as Rouben and Ruben in Armenian, Rhouben in Biblical Greek, and Reuven in Biblical Hebrew. Ruben is also common in Danish, Dutch, Italian, and French, with the diminutive of the name being Rube. Additionally, the name spelled Ruben can also be a form of Robin.

In contemporary times, Reuben not only remains a popular given name but also the name of a famous food. The Reuben sandwich, made with savory corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and creamy Russian dressing, was created in the early 1900s at Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel and has since become an American menu staple. Additionally, the name has been given to characters in a number of popular TV series, such as Reuben Ainsworth in the show Skins and Reuben Tish Koff in the Ocean’s series. The English alt-rock band Reuben is another example.

Reuben

Meaning To behold a male child

Gender Boy

Origin Biblical, Hebrew

Names starting with  R..  Ra..  Rav..  Ray..  Riv..  Rob..  Rup.. 

How To Pronounce Reuben?

Reuben On The Popularity Chart

The name’s popularity reached a high point in 1990. After that it dipped in the 2000s as can be surmised from this chart.

Popularity Over Time

From the 1990s to 2000s, the name’s usage has decreased. It rose again in 1999 and since then has been fluctuating but on an upward trend.

Rank Over Time

The name’s rank has been declining since the mid 1980s. It was 18,427 in 2021.

Names With Similar Sound As Reuben

If you want a name that sounds similar to Reuben, you can find more options below.

Raben Rabinesh Rebanta Reuban Reubin Robin Robyn Ruben Rubens Rueben

Names With Similar Meaning As Reuben

Here are some more names that mean the same as Reuben. Take a look at some suggestions below.

Ravan Ravana Ravin Rebin Rivan Rivin Rouvin Rupam

Name Numerology For Reuben

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• Author

Praggya JoshiMA, BEd

Praggya Joshi holds a bachelor's degree in Education and a master's in Ancient Indian History from University of Delhi. She has a robust knowledge of literature, society, and ethics. Praggya has been a content writer since 2021, researching and writing on education, health and wellness, and travel. At MomJunction, she writes on child education and developmental activities. She likes to...more