Would you assume a 'Reuben' is Jewish?

The only Reubens I have ever come across are US-Hispanic -- it's popular in Spanish-speaking circles in the US, and presumably in Central America and Mexico.

Reuben has firmly crossed over into white bread and mayo territory: I really don't think anyone would ask, let alone think you had chosen a Jewish name for religious reasons in even 10 years, let alone 20. And what's wrong with being taken for Jewish anyway?

It wouldn't occur to me to ask that. In today's society we are accepting of all manner of weird and wonderful names - people just name their children something because they simply like it and I don't think Reuben jumps out as being Jewish. I've known lots of non-Irish Caitlins, a non-Spanish Juanitia and a whole host of random made-up names! I don't think for a minute people of your DS's generation will ask him if he's Jewish, certainly not often enough for it to be a problem. Don't make any hasty changes. Congratulations on your new baby boy!

I like it, also wouldn't assume Jewish. The only Reuben I ever knew was African/Caribbean and not Jewish.

As it is a Hebrew name that is still used by a lot of Jews (even more so on the Continent, it seems), you're going to have to accept that some people will assume/ask that you are jewish.

I wouldn't assume Jewish in a younger boy, i'd put it with Jacob and Isaac as a name that is used by people from any background now. Names like Solomon and Abraham I would still think are Jewish names.

Some people are still going to think of it as a Jewish name though so it is likely you will get asked occasionally. DH has a very Catholic name and has people joking with him about being an alter boy etc before they even know if he is Catholic or not so if you think it would bother you then I wouldn't use it.

I'd think

I'd thought you were American rather than Jewish tbh, as the two Reubens I know are from the States (one Jewish, one not).

Lovely name, go for it.

As others have said, there's a definite trend over the last few years for WASPs to give their kids names which would have been seen as unambiguously Jewish in our youth.
That said, I'd still class Reuben as being on the "probably Jewish" side of the line rather than the "trendy/posh WASP" side. As you can see, quite a lot of other people still would, whilst others are a bit more up to date and wouldn't.

That means that you're being a tiny bit cutting edge in your choice, and you'll have to explain "No, we just thought it was a nice name" a tedious number of times until the fashion filters all the way down.

Only you can decide whether you like the name enough to put up with a few boring questions.

i wouldn't assume Jewish, I would assume either Christian or Jewish.
but then, I don't think i'd assume religious necessarily.
not these days.

I might comment "ooh, a good strong Biblical name" but then i'm a bible basher, so...

No, I wouldn't assume they were Jewish, but I also wouldn't name my child Reuben either. You can't move for falling over Reuben's around here.

Maybe if her were 40+ but under forty no. I know a couple of Reubens my age and they aren't Jewish, so I certainly wouldn't expect a baby Reuben to be Jewish. But to be honest, if people think you're Jewish, so what. You're entitled to use a name from the old testament or the new testament I think. It's not like you're trying to dupe somebody.

No more than David or Benjamin (and I know lots of Jewish & Christian guys with those names)

Saying nothing that hasn't been said above but yes I would assume he's Jewish straight off, which isn't end of world is it, also it's a nice name - but as said already loads of other Jewish names already out there being used by all backgrounds, and this one will become more generally used soon like others have already (used to think Noah was a bit extreme and Old Testament, but meet loads of them now!).

I wouldn't presume he was Jewish - I'm a Christian and know loads of people who have used Bible names both Hebrew and Greek.

There are some names that are more unusual, but I think the UK today is very mixed culturally and I know Joel's, Joshua's, Noah's, Aaron's, Jonah's, Elijah's, etc that I think were more unusual a generation ago.

I like it - and Roo as a nn :-)

And if he does get asked if he is Jewish surely he can just say 'No, but the name goes back thousands of years and was originally Jewish and it means A Son'.

My DN is a Reuben and he is definitely not Jewish. It's a lovely name, and one that will not date.

I think it sounds Jewish but I think, as other people have said, cultural perspectives etc have changed. Names like Eli, Levi and Noah would only have been used by fairly observant British Jewish families in my childhood 30-odd years ago, but in our more generally liberal, culturally fluid and less religiously knowledgeable times I think people just tend to choose names they like. Which is fine.

Oh and to add,

We had chosen Solomon if dd4 had been a ds purely on the fact that we loved the name and with no thought to it being Jewish (dp's mum is Jewish)

I think we all spend too long worrying about what others think and lose sight of what we like!

oooh interesting I am considering this name for potential ds3 as I really like it but i was also wondering about the Jewish connection. I think it is fading. No one thinks it anymore with girls called Rebecca. And plenty of non-welsh boys called Dylan etc etc? I only know of one 7/8 year old and he is not Jewish

No worries BS, think your friend may have had a skewed perspective yes!

Might also depend where she lived, if somewhere with a big Jewish population and she hung out with a lot of other Jewish people...then perhaps she met a lot of Jewish Davids.

It's a popular name there, a quick google suggests its the 7th most popular name in the U.S. (not sure if that's population as a whole or just men).

Love the name Rueben though. If I didn't have a problem pronouncing my R's it would have been on the shortlist for DS.

I wouldn't assume a Reuben was Jewish, I think it's a lovely strong name

As the mother of a DS with a 'Jewish' name. If I am asked, which is rarely. I explain that it is an old testament name. Joshua chapter 13 to be exact. If you can quote which book, they soon shut up.

"She was Jewish! So maybe she had a skewed perspective." Umm better explain that what I meant by that was perhaps she kept thinking that all these English blokes called Dave she kept meeting all over the place were potential husbands her mother would approve of, but was to find out they were all "Urrr dunno, C of E I suppose..."