Rubell
A variant spelling of the Hebrew name Ruby, meaning "red gemstone".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Rubell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rubell today is around 96 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rubell births was 1924 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rubell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Rubell is about 96 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Rubells were born before 1940.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Rubell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1924
8 babies that year
Average age
96
years old
1939 SSA rank
#4,839
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Rubell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rubell from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 25 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rubell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Rubell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rubells live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rubell
The name Rubell is believed to have originated from the Germanic language family, specifically from Old High German roots. It is thought to be a combination of the elements "hrod" meaning "fame" or "renown" and "bald" meaning "bold" or "brave." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who was renowned for their courage or bravery.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rubell can be traced back to the 9th century, where it appeared in the Codex Augiensis, an important manuscript containing biblical texts and other historical records from that era. This provides evidence that the name was in use during the Carolingian period, which spanned from the late 8th century to the early 10th century.
In the 11th century, a notable figure named Rubell von Regensburg was mentioned in historical chronicles from the Holy Roman Empire. He was a prominent nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the conflicts between the German kings and the papacy during the Investiture Controversy.
Another individual bearing the name Rubell was a Benedictine monk who lived in the 12th century. He was known as Rubell of St. Gallen, and his writings on theological and philosophical subjects were widely circulated and studied in monastic circles during the High Middle Ages.
In the 14th century, a French knight named Rubell de Montfort was recorded as having participated in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He fought alongside the French forces and was celebrated for his bravery and skill in battle.
During the Renaissance period, a notable Italian painter and sculptor named Rubell Ghiberti gained recognition for his work on the famous bronze doors of the Baptistery of Florence, which were widely acclaimed as a masterpiece of Renaissance art. He lived from 1378 to 1455 and was a prominent figure in the artistic circles of his time.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Rubell, but it is evident that the name has a rich and diverse heritage, spanning various cultures and time periods throughout history.
People
Rubell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rubell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rubell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rubell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rubell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Rubell a common name?
We classify Rubell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 37 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rubell most popular?
The single biggest year for Rubell was 1924, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rubell is about 96 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Rubell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Rubell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rubell in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Rubell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Rubell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Rubell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Rubell?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.