Rubina
A feminine name of Persian origin meaning "ruby" or "reddish gem".
Name Census estimates that about 553 living Americans carry the first name Rubina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rubina today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rubina births was 1983 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rubina. 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.
People living today
553
~ 1 in 619,809 Americans
Peak year
1983
17 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,894
Tracked since 1910
Popularity
Rubina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rubina from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 112 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Rubina remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rubina 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 Rubina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rubinas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, New York recorded the most babies named Rubina, while New York, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Rubina
The name Rubina is thought to have originated from the Persian language, deriving from the word "rubin," which means "ruby" in Persian. The ruby is a precious gemstone known for its deep red hue, and the name Rubina was likely given to girls with a rosy complexion or reddish tints in their hair or skin tone.
The earliest known usage of the name Rubina can be traced back to the Middle Ages, particularly in regions that were part of the Persian cultural sphere, such as modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia. It was a popular name among Persian nobility and aristocracy, as the ruby was associated with wealth, beauty, and prestige.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rubina appears in the 12th-century Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi. In this literary masterpiece, Rubina is mentioned as the name of a beautiful princess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Rubina. One of the earliest was Rubina Begum (1616-1679), a Mughal princess and the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. She was known for her intelligence, literary talents, and her patronage of the arts.
Another famous Rubina was Rubina Qizilbash (1822-1892), an Azerbaijani poet and writer who played a significant role in the literary and cultural renaissance of her time. Her poetry often explored themes of love, nature, and the struggle for independence.
In the 20th century, Rubina Kempadoo (1903-1988) was a prominent Guyanese writer and activist who fought for women's rights and social justice. Her works shed light on the experiences of Indo-Caribbean women and their struggles against discrimination.
Rubina Naveed (born 1959) is a contemporary Pakistani novelist and short story writer who has received numerous awards for her literary contributions, including the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan's highest civilian honors.
Rubina Ali (born 2009) is an Indian actress who gained international recognition for her role as a young Latika in the critically acclaimed film "Slumdog Millionaire" when she was just nine years old.
While the name Rubina has roots in Persian culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in South Asia, the Middle East, and among certain communities in Europe and North America.
People
Rubina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rubina 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
Rubina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rubina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 553 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rubina 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 619,809 US residents.
Is Rubina a common name?
We classify Rubina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 632 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rubina most popular?
The single biggest year for Rubina was 1983, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rubina is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rubina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rubina 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.
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.