Reuben - how Jewish are we talking?

[suzimum]

Hi all. I love the name Reuben but had previously discounted it since I had thought it was considered very Jewish and not being Jewish myself, wondered if people would think this was a strange choice. I know it is an Old Testament name like so many others, but it seem more Jewish than others!

I'd be interested to hear your views!

Thanks

Don't like it.
Whether you are Jewish, Zoroastrian or Buddhist.

Think it's pretty mainstream these days- old testament names are very popular generally- but it wouldn't really bother me if people thought me or my kids were Jewish anyway. I think it's a great name.

I agree with nomoralfibre.

A generation ago, names like Isaac, Abraham and Reuben would have been unquestionably Jewish. Now they're mainstream. Reuben is lovely, really gorgeous.

I have a friend called Reuben and he's not Jewish at all.. in fact he's half English and half Trinidadian, lol

Don't think that all of the parents who had a Reuben around here have worried about it being a Jewish name. Just a guess though as there are roughly 6 Jews in the city and about a thousand Reubens.

It's also very Cold Comfort Farm/Emmerdale. Along with Seth etc. So not necessarily Jewish.

I certainly know a non-Jewish Reuben (some of my best friends are from Cold Comfort Farm!). Generally know as Ben.

I think a lot of names - Naomi, Rebecca whatever could be Jewish could be not. Who cares? I quite like Reuben.

I know three Reubens (two adults and a child). Only one of them is Jewish.

Lovely name.

Its fine!

Thanks for the feedback!

It's fine. I know three- 40, 30 and 6 months, and none are Jewish. I suppose all Old Testament names are technically Jewish, but I am sure that a great many Adams, Sarahs, Rebeccas and Benjamins out there are not. As well as Reubens!

Had no idea that it was meant to be Jewish

I wouldnt automatically presume its a jewish person with that name, I know of a few non Jewish Reuben i think its a mainstream name

It's mainstream and the christian old testament is the jewish testament,s o it's fine imo.

Having said that though, I think it is extrememly inappropriate to use something like Ezra, especially for a girl, and 'just cos I like it'. arhghghg. So I do feel 'inappropriateness' if you see what I mean.

It's very popular in the Spanish speaking Americas. I think it used to be more of a 'Jewish' name, but not really any more.

I used to know a Reuben and he was Puerto Rican.

akhems Sounds like the one and only Reuben I've come across!

I'm Jewish and I don't think Reuben is solely "ours".

skihorse is he about 38 with long dreads?

He would be about that age... I met him at school on the Shetland Islands 22 years ago but I think he was originally from Liverpool?

I've only ever connected the name with Rubens the artist (I know the spelling is different but it does sound the same!), probably also because the only Reuben I've met was the son of a Dutch couple (I only met the mother and have no idea if they were Jews or had Jewish roots). As people have already mentioned, there are many more common Jewish/Old Testament names in circulation.

It does make me think "Jewish name" but I don't think it's exclusively Jewish. No more so than Jacob, Joshua, Samuel and dozens of others. I love the name btw.

I have a lovely 13 year old black lab called Reuben!

This reminded me of a couple I met recently who had called their son Reuben because they really liked the name and hadn't even considered that it was a biblical. They were then a bit shocked and upset when someone told them that it was the name of one of Joseph's evil brothers who sold him as a slave in the bible story. They then looked into it a bit more and discovered he was the least evil of the brothers as the others had all wanted to murder him but Reuben persuaded them merely to sell him instead. They then decided that it was actually quite cool that their son was the least evil of the evil brothers.

Anyway, the story made me laugh. I don't think that the couple were Jewish by the way, and on whether it is a Jewish name or not I think that these days it can be either and noone really minds.

Really like it! I think it sounds Jewish, but I like Jewish names. My Mum, wasn't very impressed with the Jewish connotation, I pointed out that her son is called Matthew...

Kirsty & Eden -x-

ahh no, skihorse, deffo not the same person then ... would have been a spooky coincidence if it was tho, lol

Goldy'sMum, so do you think everybody who uses a bible name has an obligation to know the bible