Reuben

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Reuben: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Reuben: Recorded since 1972, its highest recorded position is #32, and it was still inside the top 100 in 2025.

6registrars recorded it
124times a registrar ranked it
54years from first to last
#32highest recorded position
25groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Reuben's record

Held a top-100 place for 34 years running. Names by top-100 run
England and Wales registered 1,534 births with the name in 2021, its largest count from any one registrar. Names by yearly birth count
Held at least one birth in every 2,000 for 20 years. Names by sustained share
Moved 222 places between two consecutive years — its largest recorded change. Names by largest single-year move

Region

Rising

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#200
1997	#180
1998	#159
1999	#175
2000	#151
2001	#152
2002	#154
2003	#122
2004	#118
2005	#102
2006	#97
2007	#88
2008	#87
2009	#79
2010	#71
2011	#72
2012	#68
2013	#54
2014	#51
2015	#51
2016	#48
2017	#49
2018	#42
2019	#44
2020	#44
2021	#36
2022	#36
2023	#37
2024	#33

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

RisingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 38 of the 54 years from 1972 to 2025.

In 2025: #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, #156 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 6 national registrars across 6 regions, 1972–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1972
First recorded at #307 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1972 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #32 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Reuben appears in 5 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Boys, which has ranked it in 38 years beginning in 1972, and has registered 922 births with the name.

Reuben across 5 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Reuben's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#307 (1972)	#125 (2018)	#156 (2025)	38 of 54	922 (1972–2025)	55 (2012)
New Zealand · Boys	#100 (1982)	#44 (2003)	#95 (2019)	24 of 38	1,728 (1982–2019)	105 (2003)
England and Wales · Boys	#200 (1996)	#33 (2024)	#33 (2024)	29 of 29	25,122 (1996–2024)	1,534 (2021)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#143 (1997)	#32 (2023)	#34 (2024)	28 of 28	1,214 (1997–2024)	68 (2017)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#92 (2019)	#73 (2023)	#85 (2025)	4 of 7	406 (2019–2025)	109 (2023)

Reuben by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Reuben in Republic of Ireland · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1970s	10	3 of 10	3
1980s	9	3 of 10	3
1990s	25	6 of 10	4
2000s	211	10 of 10	21
2010sbusiest	433	10 of 10	43
2020s	234	6 of 10	39

Across Republic of Ireland · Boys, the 2010s were its busiest decade, averaging 43 births a year.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Reuben appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1972 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #32 in Northern Ireland in 2023.

Reuben's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#33	1,442	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#37	1,356	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#36	1,475	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#36	1,534	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#44	1,339	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#44	1,424	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#42	1,504	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#49	1,309	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#48	1,322	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#51	1,188	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#51	1,166	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#54	1,144	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#68	1,014	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#72	941	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#71	931	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#79	854	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#87	768	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#88	791	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#97	680	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#102	567	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#118	475	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#122	396	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#154	259	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#152	253	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#151	242	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#175	194	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#159	213	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#180	181	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#200	160	High	Verified
2025	New South Wales, Australia	male	#85	99	Insufficient	Not yet available
2023	New South Wales, Australia	male	#73	109	Insufficient	Not yet available
2022	New South Wales, Australia	male	#87	101	Insufficient	Not yet available
2019	New South Wales, Australia	male	#92	97	Insufficient	Not yet available
2019	New Zealand	male	#95	50	High	Verified
2017	New Zealand	male	#87	61	High	Verified
2010	New Zealand	male	#86	61	High	Verified
2009	New Zealand	male	#75	69	High	Verified
2008	New Zealand	male	#66	79	High	Verified
2007	New Zealand	male	#79	68	High	Verified
2006	New Zealand	male	#98	54	High	Verified
2005	New Zealand	male	#84	58	High	Verified
2004	New Zealand	male	#59	90	High	Verified
2003	New Zealand	male	#44	105	High	Verified
2002	New Zealand	male	#49	93	High	Verified
2001	New Zealand	male	#51	89	High	Verified
2000	New Zealand	male	#51	95	High	Verified
1999	New Zealand	male	#71	78	High	Verified
1998	New Zealand	male	#73	71	High	Verified
1997	New Zealand	male	#76	68	High	Verified
1996	New Zealand	male	#62	91	High	Verified
1995	New Zealand	male	#68	92	High	Verified
1994	New Zealand	male	#89	62	High	Verified
1993	New Zealand	male	#93	58	High	Verified
1992	New Zealand	male	#80	76	High	Verified
1988	New Zealand	male	#89	62	High	Verified
1984	New Zealand	male	#99	51	High	Verified
1982	New Zealand	male	#100	47	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#34	53	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#32	61	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#39	58	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#34	65	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#46	54	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#51	56	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#42	65	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#41	68	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#49	62	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#44	65	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#60	50	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#50	61	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#57	56	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#70	48	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#63	53	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#67	51	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#77	49	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#70	46	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#87	34	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#105	26	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#85	32	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#97	26	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#116	21	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#134	14	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#224	5	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#126	15	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#182	8	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#143	12	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#156	33	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#137	38	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#150	36	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#135	44	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#141	42	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#142	41	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#147	40	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#125	50	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#149	40	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#150	41	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#171	36	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#136	47	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#138	46	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#131	55	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#180	37	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#165	41	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#152	43	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#166	39	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	29	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#173	27	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#205	17	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#186	19	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#245	11	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#216	12	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#297	6	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	male	#236	8	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#266	6	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#280	5	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	male	#382	3	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#295	5	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	male	#337	3	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	male	#323	3	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	male	#319	3	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	male	#322	3	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	male	#321	3	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	male	#333	3	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#288	4	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	male	#307	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#38	106	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 6 registrars between 1972 and 2025, ranked in 43 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #32, first reached in 2023.

It held a top-100 place in 37 years, 34 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 1,534 births, registered in England and Wales in 2021.

Its record falls into 7 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 3 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1982, and 52 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Retal · #2058, 12y
Reuban · #1749, 19y
Reuben-James · #2443, 10y
Reubyn · #2954, 11y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 6 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Alexis · #30, 41y
Zachary · #29, 41y
Cody · #37, 39y
Billy · #39, 45y

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1970 and 1979.

Rochelle · #32, 51y
Sadhbh · #32, 50y
Billie · #33, 35y
Esme · #33, 33y

Reuben was ranked #32 in Northern Ireland · Boys in 2023. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Reuben and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Reuben without appearing here.

Reuben moved ahead of

Daithi Compare
In 2017 they stood at #149 and #71 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #125 and #471.
Geoffrey Compare
In 2001 they stood at #297 and #297 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2002 that had become #216 and #451.
Jon Compare
In 1999 they stood at #323 and #323 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2000 that had become #236 and #390.
Lachlan Compare
In 1999 they stood at #382 and #382 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2000 that had become #236 and #390.

Moved ahead of Reuben

Jack Compare
In 1979 they stood at #288 and #316 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 1980 that had become #321 and #222.
Jayden Compare
In 2006 they stood at #173 and #247 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2007 that had become #178 and #85.
Connor Compare
In 1992 they stood at #80 and #83 in New Zealand · Boys; by 1993 that had become #93 and #43.
Finley Compare
In 1998 they stood at #159 and #182 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1999 that had become #175 and #128.

Moved the opposite way to Reuben

Denis Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 while Denis went from #35 to #232.
Erik Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 while Erik went from #307 to #468.
Frank Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 while Frank went from #180 to #286.
Julian Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 while Julian went from #158 to #348.

Moved the same way as Reuben

Aaron Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 and Aaron from #194 to #71.
Adam Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 and Adam from #158 to #20.
Alex Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 and Alex from #279 to #37.
Alexander Compare
Between 1972 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Reuben went from #307 to #156 and Alexander from #143 to #55.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 6 regions, from 1972 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #32 in Northern Ireland in 2023. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Reuben

Reuben at a glance

What stands out in Reuben's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Reuben across 5 official records

Reuben by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Reuben appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Reuben

Reuben and the names beside it

Reuben moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Reuben

Moved the opposite way to Reuben

Moved the same way as Reuben

Reuben at a glance

What stands out in Reuben's record

Reuben across 5 official records

Reuben by decade in Republic of Ireland · Boys

Reuben appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Reuben

Reuben and the names beside it

Reuben moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Reuben

Moved the opposite way to Reuben

Moved the same way as Reuben