Reuben

רְאוּבֵן

• Gender: Male
• Origin: Biblical English
• Meaning: behold, a son

• Reuben is the firstborn son of Jacob, and his story in the Torah is one of the most deeply human in all of scripture. He made mistakes, he showed remorse, and he famously tried to rescue his younger brother Joseph from a terrible fate. That mix of imperfection and genuine goodness gives the name a real, relatable depth that perfectly polished names simply cannot offer.

  Swedish actor Reuben Sallmander—who attended Jewish school in Stockholm, lived on a kibbutz, and starred in the acclaimed series "The Bridge"—brings this patriarch's name into contemporary Scandinavian culture. Old-soul names that feel distinguished without being stuffy are having a major moment, and Reuben is riding that wave beautifully. It has a warm, approachable sound that works on a little boy building block towers and a grown man running a business. Plus, it comes with a Torah portion and a really good sandwich — not many names can claim both.

• Alternate Spellings: Ruben
• Hebrew Equivalent:
  Reuven
• Potential Sibling Name:
  Rachel
  ,
  Eliana
  ,
  Daniel
  ,
  Ethan
• Theme: family