Gender:

Male

Meaning:

‘Behold, a son’ (from Hebrew)

History & etymology:

The name Reuben comes from the Bible. According to the Old Testament, it was the name of the first born son of Jacob and his less favoured wife, Leah. Naming her son Reuben, meaning ‘behold, a son’, Leah expressed her hope to be loved by her husband.

Reuben is sometimes considered the first penitent, as (according to Torah) he had slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah but showed remorse and sought his father’s forgiveness.

The name has been used in England since the Protestant Reformation.

Alternative spellings & nicknames:

Reuven, Ruben, Rouvin
Diminutive: Rube

Similar names in other languages & name days:

Greece
13th December: Ruben

Poland
20th February: Ruben

Slovak Republic
6th April: Ruben

USA
4th August: Reuben, Ruben

Dutch: Ruben
Finnish: Ruuben
French: Ruben
Portuguese: Rubinho
Russian: Ruvim
Spanish: Ruben

Famous people named Reuben/Ruben:

Ruben Aguirre (1934 - 2016) - Mexican actor
Ruben Amaro Jr. (1965-) - American baseball player
Ruben Blades (1948-) - singer from Panama
Ruben Cortada (1984-) - Cuban actor
Ruben Dario (1867 - 1916) - Nicaraguan poet
Ruben Fleischer (1974-) - American director
Reuben Kamanga (1929-) - Zambian politician
Reuben Kang (1987-) - Malaysian film producer
Reuben Morgan (1975-) - English gospel singer
Reuben Nakian (1897-) - American sculptor
Ruben Olivares (1947-) - Mexican boxer
Reuben Reid (1988-) - English soccer player
Reuben Riffle (1974-) - South African chef
Ruben Sierra (1965-) - Puerto Rican baseball player
Ruben Studdard (1978-) - German R&B singer

Fun facts:

Popularity (2015)

USA: 876th     
England and Wales: 51st     
Northern Ireland: 44th      
Scotland: 87th

Lucky colors: violet, purple
Lucky stone: Amethyst
Ruling planet: Venus
Characteristics: reserved, moody, shy, intelligent, calm

Reuben sandwich is an American sandwich with corned beef, cheese and sauerkraut, served hot.