Reuben - is it common ?

[Mummadaughter]

Is the name Reuben common? How many Reuben’s do you know ?

I only know of one and he's four years old

It's the name of one of Joseph's eldest half-brother in the Old Testament, @DazedandConcerned

I met one (spelled Rebuen?!?) a year or so ago. I know of a few others, but not loads. I wanted to use it for my first 20 years ago but was talked out of it!

Still love it.

Yes and a sandwich in Canada and the USA. Corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing on rye bread.

Yes, it's a famous sandwich. They are sold here too.

Wasn't the sandwich named after the creator? It's a pretty common name for definite in the UK even without updated statistics I'd confidently wager it's still well within the top 100.

Three. One (lovely) family member in their nineties, which put it in the running for ds, and two teens. I really like the name.

Makes me think of Hagrid, I know he is Rubeus but similar enough to start my train of thought. Don’t know any real life ones though.

I've got one, he's 11. I thought it was unusual, then the first group I ever took him to 3 of 8 baby boys were called Reuben, so I thought it was going to be everywhere! We've only ever met one other since though. None in school year or extra curriculars etc.

Never been asked if we're Jewish.

I am surprised tbh. I’m an ex-pat (obviously) never heard it back home or here in the north of England.

I'd say it's reasonably popular, like Rowan. I know two, aged 6 and 3. Live in the north west.

I'm sure it was in the late 80s when we last got the official ONS statistics but I'd wager it was probably higher than that now. Along with Rowan and Roman it certainly seems to be quite a common name I come across often in schools and nurseries.

It's a Jewish name. There's also a Reuben sandwich.

It sounds like racial profiling to me (some of the BEWARE someone might think you are JEWISH posts sound pretty gross to me - as if being thought Jewsih was a problem) in pretty anti-semitic times. So yeah I think anyone asking might be a twat- but appreciate you are looking for a connection, which I am sure feels very different,and will be sure to have in the back of my awareness if I ever encounter the question irl.

Any name 'could' be repeated. Sometimes popular names do get repeated, yes, but sometimes really random names do too. If I like a name I couldn't ever imagine ruling it out in case it gets repeated as the only way you'd avoid that is if you completely made something up. It's not a thought process I can get my head around personally.

As a teacher I've only ever had names duplicated in my class on a handful of occasions in the last 15 years. Only once was it a top 10 name. Twice it's been a name not even in the top 100. There really is no rhyme or reason to these things.

@BoleynMemories13 , I agree. I don't know any little Olivers but several Sebastians and Ezras.
If you picked a completely underused name, you might find that someone 'copied' you or that someone moves next door with a child of the same age with the same name.

If you look on darkgreener, there was a time when Jack and Emily/Chloe were given to over 10, 000 babies each year for a few years, whereas now the top names are much lower, maybe at less than 5000.

I'm confused by those asserting it's a Jewish name. The Old Testament is also commonly used for Christian/non Christian names - see Noah, Jacob, Joseph, Ben etc yet none of those would be labelled a Jewish name.

It's a common sandwich in the US (Reuben Sandwich) originally Jewish I think

I know of 3, one 9 yr old and 2 adults.

It's number 36 and on an upward trajectory so whenever we (touch wood) get the stats for 2022 I imagine it will be around 30.

Too many Reubens in society, Daniel is a better name

I have one. He's the only one in his school of 300 but we do meet the odd one every now and then. It is Hebrew language but there is crossover between the Bible and the Torah so also used by a lot of non conformist Christians. People do find it hard to spell but not the end of the world.

I have met Jewish Daniels and Davids more than Reubens..i think Reuben sounds girly for a boy.

I don't know any human Reuben's but I do walk a border collie with that name

People do the same with any name they have feelings about or experience with, recognising Arab, Muslim, Spanish, French, Turkish, Italian... names and if the person also looks from that ethnicity assumptions will be made. If they do not, there will be assumptions of marriage or adoption or mixed parentage. It is racial profiling because that conversation will lead to talking about that culture and stereotypes. I should know I have a non English name and live in England. People assume so much just from a name and sometimes take an instant like or dislike based on the associated nationality, religion or ethnicity which is why I totally get people anglicising their names in the west.