| Zev | Reuben | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | wolf | behold, a son |
| Origin | hebrew | hebrew |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ZEV | ROO-ben |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (277) | 1920 (465) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 269 |
| Trend | Rising | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Zev | Reuben |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,523 | 1,649 |
| 2010s | 1,642 | 2,359 |
| 2000s | 889 | 2,279 |
| 1990s | 453 | 2,436 |
| 1980s | 261 | 2,759 |
| 1970s | 190 | 2,542 |
| 1960s | 105 | 2,076 |
| 1950s | 90 | 2,193 |
| 1940s | 0 | 2,060 |
| 1930s | 0 | 2,269 |
| 1920s | 0 | 3,860 |
| 1910s | 0 | 3,274 |
| 1900s | 0 | 820 |
| 1890s | 0 | 828 |
| 1880s | 0 | 741 |
From the Hebrew 'ze'ev' (זְאֵב), meaning 'wolf'. In Jewish tradition it is associated with the tribe of Benjamin, described in Genesis 49:27 as a wolf; often paired with the name Benjamin.
Hebrew Re'uven, literally 'behold, a son!' (re'u 'see, behold' + ben 'son'). Genesis 29:32 layers a second biblical wordplay on it: Leah says 'the LORD has looked upon (ra'ah) my affliction' — that play is theological rather than the strict etymology.
Reuben is more popular than Zev today: about 269 US babies were given the name Reuben in 2025, compared with 0 named Zev.
Zev means wolf (hebrew origin), while Reuben means behold, a son (hebrew origin).
In US records, Zev first appears in 0 and Reuben in 1880, so Zev has the longer recorded history.