Ruben

maleStatistical record

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

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

Ruben: Recorded since 1953, it reached #52 in 1995, and it stood at #188 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
144times a registrar ranked it
73years from first to last
#52highest recorded position
24groupings it qualifies for

Region

Rising

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#419
1997	#476
1998	#419
1999	#396
2000	#351
2001	#270
2002	#232
2003	#214
2004	#191
2005	#172
2006	#188
2007	#194
2008	#188
2009	#172
2010	#174
2011	#176
2012	#172
2013	#156
2014	#158
2015	#153
2016	#163
2017	#159
2018	#132
2019	#132
2020	#123
2021	#110
2022	#114
2023	#112
2024	#126

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 Norway in 67 of the 73 years from 1953 to 2025.

In 2025: #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland, #269 among boys in Norway.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1953–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1953
First recorded at #349 among boys in Norway in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1953–2025
Highest recorded position: #52 among boys in Norway, in 1995 (recorded 1953–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #269 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Ruben appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Boys, which has ranked it in 67 years beginning in 1953, and has registered 3,290 births with the name.

Ruben across 4 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.

Ruben'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
Norway · Boys	#349 (1953)	#52 (1995)	#269 (2025)	67 of 73	3,290 (1953–2025)	155 (1995)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#316 (1976)	#178 (2021)	#188 (2025)	26 of 50	485 (1976–2025)	30 (2016)
England and Wales · Boys	#419 (1996)	#110 (2021)	#126 (2024)	29 of 29	8,214 (1996–2024)	540 (2021)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#305 (2004)	#163 (2022)	#256 (2024)	21 of 21	159 (2004–2024)	13 (2022)

Ruben by decade in Norway · 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 Ruben in Norway · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1950s	20	4 of 10	5
1960s	55	7 of 10	8
1970s	224	10 of 10	22
1980s	615	10 of 10	62
1990sbusiest	1,251	10 of 10	125
2000s	738	10 of 10	74
2010s	293	10 of 10	29
2020s	94	6 of 10	16

Across Norway · Boys, the 1990s were its busiest decade, averaging 125 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1988 and 1989, when recorded births rose by 30, from 81 to 111.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Ruben 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 5 regions, from 1953 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #52 in Norway in 1995.

Ruben'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	#126	435	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#112	471	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#114	480	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#110	540	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#123	454	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#132	429	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#132	435	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#159	358	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#163	363	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#153	374	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#158	361	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#156	370	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#172	341	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#176	318	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#174	318	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#172	313	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#188	260	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#194	246	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#188	233	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#172	255	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#191	203	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#214	160	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#232	128	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#270	103	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#351	69	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#396	57	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#419	51	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#476	40	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#419	49	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#256	7	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#348	4	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#163	13	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#226	9	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#231	8	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#209	10	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#215	9	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#318	5	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#195	11	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#187	12	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#281	6	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#244	7	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#273	6	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#261	6	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#248	7	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#211	10	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#266	6	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#236	7	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#223	7	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#231	6	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#305	3	High	Verified
2025	Norway	male	#269	15	High	Verified
2024	Norway	male	#330	11	High	Verified
2023	Norway	male	#257	17	High	Verified
2022	Norway	male	#297	13	High	Verified
2021	Norway	male	#178	26	High	Verified
2020	Norway	male	#290	12	High	Verified
2019	Norway	male	#255	18	High	Verified
2018	Norway	male	#221	23	High	Verified
2017	Norway	male	#329	12	High	Verified
2016	Norway	male	#200	27	High	Verified
2015	Norway	male	#215	25	High	Verified
2014	Norway	male	#170	35	High	Verified
2013	Norway	male	#160	39	High	Verified
2012	Norway	male	#163	38	High	Verified
2011	Norway	male	#168	37	High	Verified
2010	Norway	male	#160	39	High	Verified
2009	Norway	male	#141	50	High	Verified
2008	Norway	male	#129	57	High	Verified
2007	Norway	male	#129	56	High	Verified
2006	Norway	male	#103	80	High	Verified
2005	Norway	male	#124	57	High	Verified
2004	Norway	male	#98	78	High	Verified
2003	Norway	male	#77	98	High	Verified
2002	Norway	male	#94	76	High	Verified
2001	Norway	male	#82	84	High	Verified
2000	Norway	male	#75	102	High	Verified
1999	Norway	male	#64	122	High	Verified
1998	Norway	male	#70	111	High	Verified
1997	Norway	male	#58	135	High	Verified
1996	Norway	male	#53	144	High	Verified
1995	Norway	male	#52	155	High	Verified
1994	Norway	male	#63	126	High	Verified
1993	Norway	male	#76	103	High	Verified
1992	Norway	male	#75	109	High	Verified
1991	Norway	male	#68	122	High	Verified
1990	Norway	male	#68	124	High	Verified
1989	Norway	male	#72	111	High	Verified
1988	Norway	male	#104	81	High	Verified
1987	Norway	male	#80	92	High	Verified
1986	Norway	male	#126	65	High	Verified
1985	Norway	male	#131	62	High	Verified
1984	Norway	male	#145	49	High	Verified
1983	Norway	male	#160	42	High	Verified
1982	Norway	male	#163	43	High	Verified
1981	Norway	male	#170	39	High	Verified
1980	Norway	male	#203	31	High	Verified
1979	Norway	male	#194	34	High	Verified
1978	Norway	male	#191	34	High	Verified
1977	Norway	male	#198	32	High	Verified
1976	Norway	male	#233	23	High	Verified
1975	Norway	male	#219	25	High	Verified
1974	Norway	male	#234	23	High	Verified
1973	Norway	male	#290	16	High	Verified
1972	Norway	male	#271	18	High	Verified
1971	Norway	male	#429	9	High	Verified
1970	Norway	male	#389	10	High	Verified
1969	Norway	male	#539	5	High	Verified
1968	Norway	male	#370	10	High	Verified
1967	Norway	male	#377	9	High	Verified
1965	Norway	male	#308	12	High	Verified
1964	Norway	male	#434	7	High	Verified
1963	Norway	male	#403	7	High	Verified
1962	Norway	male	#469	5	High	Verified
1959	Norway	male	#444	5	High	Verified
1958	Norway	male	#438	5	High	Verified
1956	Norway	male	#438	4	High	Verified
1953	Norway	male	#349	6	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#188	25	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#200	24	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#181	28	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#239	20	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#178	30	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#226	21	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#285	16	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#269	17	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#281	16	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#190	30	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#210	26	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#226	25	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#245	22	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#202	29	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#289	16	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#234	23	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#227	24	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#213	25	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#309	11	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#295	10	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#370	6	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#203	15	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#245	11	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#249	9	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#409	3	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	male	#316	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#130	37	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
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 5 registrars between 1953 and 2025, ranked in 67 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #52, first reached in 1995.

It held a top-100 place in 17 years, 16 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 540 births, registered in England and Wales in 2021.

Its record falls into 5 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 2 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1976, and 71 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.

Rubab · #2411, 18y
Ruban · #2039, 17y
Ruben-James · #2921, 10y
Rubi · #426, 26y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 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.

Hugh · #53, 64y
Krzysztof · #53, 70y
Miriam · #53, 70y
Rosa · #53, 71y

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1950 and 1959.

Gordon · #51, 73y
Hugh · #53, 64y
Kathrine · #51, 63y
Krzysztof · #53, 70y

Ruben was ranked #52 in Norway · Boys in 1995. 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.

Ruben 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 Ruben without appearing here.

Ruben moved ahead of

Mathias Compare
In 2007 they stood at #409 and #409 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2008 that had become #213 and #698.
Bruce Compare
In 2007 they stood at #409 and #409 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2008 that had become #213 and #601.
Alfred Compare
In 2005 they stood at #370 and #343 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2006 that had become #295 and #596.
Joseph Compare
In 2017 they stood at #329 and #275 in Norway · Boys; by 2018 that had become #221 and #516.

Moved ahead of Ruben

Finley Compare
In 1997 they stood at #476 and #484 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1998 that had become #419 and #182.
Noel Compare
In 2016 they stood at #200 and #224 in Norway · Boys; by 2017 that had become #329 and #164.
Alfie Compare
In 2004 they stood at #203 and #299 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2005 that had become #370 and #254.
Muhammad Compare
In 2022 they stood at #163 and #192 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2023 that had become #348 and #232.

Moved the opposite way to Ruben

Stig Compare
Between 1953 and 2021 in Norway · Boys, Ruben went from #349 to #178 while Stig went from #60 to #493.
Ronny Compare
Between 1953 and 2011 in Norway · Boys, Ruben went from #349 to #168 while Ronny went from #231 to #515.
Frode Compare
Between 1953 and 2008 in Norway · Boys, Ruben went from #349 to #129 while Frode went from #84 to #551.
Adrian Compare
Between 1976 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ruben went from #316 to #188 while Adrian went from #46 to #348.

Moved the same way as Ruben

Benjamin Compare
Between 1962 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Ruben went from #469 to #269 and Benjamin from #481 to #48.
Samuel Compare
Between 1962 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Ruben went from #469 to #269 and Samuel from #400 to #75.
Aaron Compare
Between 1976 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ruben went from #316 to #188 and Aaron from #131 to #71.
Adam Compare
Between 1976 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ruben went from #316 to #188 and Adam from #164 to #20.

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 5 regions, from 1953 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #52 in Norway in 1995. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Ruben

Ruben at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Ruben across 4 official records

Ruben by decade in Norway · Boys

Ruben appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Ruben

Ruben and the names beside it

Ruben moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Ruben

Moved the opposite way to Ruben

Moved the same way as Ruben

Ruben at a glance

Ruben across 4 official records

Ruben by decade in Norway · Boys

Ruben appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1950s

Names published alongside Ruben

Ruben and the names beside it

Ruben moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Ruben

Moved the opposite way to Ruben

Moved the same way as Ruben