Is this name soaring in popularity or is it me? How many do you know?

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Reuben?

Since my ds was born I've noticed lots of little Reubens!

Do you become more aware of the name if you have a dc with it?

Just interested!

There are 2 in DD1's class, and 3 in DS Reception Class.

I think it has become more popular.

Lots of Jewish type names are - there are Theos, Ethans, Zacs and a new Malachi at my ds' school.

I haven't heard it used on baby boys of late... it's lovely.
Many years ago my RE teacher taught us a song to learn the 12 sons of Abraham.. to the tune of Heads, Shoulders Knees and Toes.. Reuben, Simeon and Levi, Judah, Dan and Naphtalie, Issacer, Sebulon and Gad, Asher, Joseph and Bejamin.. apologies for spelling errors.. Can't believe that just entered my head :)

I don't know any, and have never taught any.

I don't know anyone.

mrspaddy

You know I don't really mind if it is popular just as long as it doesn't get too popular!

Yes it is getting more popular, I love it though

Now I really like Levi if ds ever had a little brother!

Funny- I was just thinking that today! There were two at toddlers and I know another two as well. It's because it's such a lovely name- sounds kind of warm and 'glowy'.

I love it and my 11 year old was nearly a Reuben but the only Reubens I know are actually adults, even though it does say 'child' more than adult. (at the moment)

I love Saul, I don't understand why that's not more popular.

Oh erm I had a cat named Reuben

You do become more aware of names after your children are born. My son's name is in the four hundreds but there are at least two others in my average size town. That must be a cluster!

I only actually know one (spelt Rubin) but it's a name you hear being yelled in playgrounds and at baby groups with great regularity.

I only know one, aged 4. Lovely name.

I've only ever met one young Reuben and that was a few decades ago! It's a lovely classic Biblical name, so won't date in the same way as some names which suddenly shoot into fashion.

I don't know any personally but I think it is becoming more popular,it gets mentioned quite a bit on here as a contender for many peoples DSs name...

I think you do become more aware of a name once you have a child with that name though. I've not had that problem (surprisingly) with my dds name but quite a few of my friends have said "when I picked X's name there were no kids called that,but now they're everywhere!"

My ds2 is oscar reuben, he is almost 11, we liked the name and its also the middle name of a very good friend of ours who is essentially an uncle to our children.

It is more popular, but not massively so.

I know of two reubens both younger than mine.

Yes, there are more Rubens around here than there used to be.

I seem to have some sort of special "nose" for names, liking obscure names which shoot to popularity overnight.

I have a 10yo Oscar....but don't really like the name Reuben.

Make of that what you will.

I think you need to check the national statistics to see if a name really is becoming more popular.

My 5 year old is Levi Reuben, and his brother is Saul :)

I don't know any Reubens but then I am old and my children are all above 13. but I have noticed a rise in the last 5 years or so in the number of Jewish or Old Testament biblical names, mostly for boys, but a few girls ones as well. Those, and Welsh/Cornish names seem to have taken over from the Celtic thing that was going on all through the 90's and the noughties.

It's funny because people on MN often say 'oh, Liam/Caitlin/Ryan/Riley is a so common and chav' and then they will coo and bill over Seren or Evan or Eleri or Celyn, but in ten years time someone else will be on here saying the same thing about those, or all the Noahs and the Ashers!

I have decided you either have to:

Pick from the classics

Pick truly outlandish and totally unheard of things, or names which are deeply unfashionable because they are from your own or your parents generation, rather than from your grandparents, and that don't follow any kind of emerging trend (see Celtic/Jewish/shakespearean or whatever)

Pick what you like and really not care if there will be four in the class or if someone thinks its common.

Otherwise you are doomed.

Reuben, Noah, Jacob all super popular round here.

I only know 2 Reuben's. But Riley, Leyton, Alfie, Archie and Jack are really popular around here.

Absolutely agree. Any emerging trend at all, avoid it.

I wonder if the next trend might be Pope's names, or a 'Catholic Classics' as an alternative to Royal Classics or English Classics. Obviously Charles, William, Edward, Harry all done to death now. I'm wondering if the new pope could spark a mini revival of Francis/Gregory/Benedict/Leo - already quite popular? Nicholas/sylvester (Sylvester maybe doesn't have the classic note the others have! but I can see it rising in a Felix kind of way). What else? Victor, Pascal, Dominic, Peter (not all of them Popes names necessarily but good saints at the least?? Paul - hmm not yet perhaps. Later. But John. I know a few babies called John and I think their parents thought that their John would be the only John for a hundred miles. Not so. John is creeping back.

For girls, Josephine and Tessa seem too much like school names for me, but I have seen them suggested on mn recently. Agatha, Mary - on the rise?

With the Catholic church re-branding itself, I see this as a potential new trend. People who had previously turned their back on their catholic roots and calling their children either Irish names or English classics - deciding to return to the old names.

Obviously I have to say this is just based on a hunch about the next "emerging trend". If you think I'm talking utter shite you are as liekly to be right as I am!

That essay was for The realfellatio