Ruben is a boy's name that means "behold, a son." It was originally used as an Italian name until the 15th century. The meaning of the name changed when it was adopted by Christians from Spain. Ruben was first used in Europe as a male given name during the 11th century. The name became popular after being adopted by Spanish Catholics from Saint Rufus, who lived in the 3rd century. His feast day is 13 October. Ruben is derived from the Latin word ruber, which means "red". This name was also used to refer to several other people in history. One of them was St Ruben, who was beheaded during the reign of Diocletian (284-305). Another one was Pope Rubinius, who was elected in 589 but never traveled to the world capital of his church because he died soon after his election. As a given name, Ruben is used primarily in countries where it is popular among Catholics; especially in Spain, Italy, and South America. It is less common among Protestants and non-Christian religions. There are several reasons why this name has become more popular in Europe over the years.