Unisex · #13,154 in 2026

Roben

Rōben (良弁、朗弁、良辨、朗辨) (689–773), also known as Ryōben, was a Japanese Buddhist monk of the Kegon sect, and clerical founder of the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. He is popularly known as the "Golden Bell Practitioner" . His life spanned the late Asuka period (538–710) to the early Nara period (710–794), a period associated with the establishment of Buddhism in Japan.

Current Rank
#13,154
Peak Rank
#2,675 (1961)
Total Babies
314
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #2,675 (314 total)
👦 Boy peak #2,177 (130 total)
👧As Girl Name
1952
First Year
2000
Last Year
1961
Peak Year
#2675
Peak Rank
314
Total Count
26
Years Active
👦As Boy Name
1956
First Year
2010
Last Year
1965
Peak Year
#2177
Peak Rank
130
Total Count
18
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Roben

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Rōben (良弁、朗弁、良辨、朗辨) (689–773), also known as Ryōben, was a Japanese Buddhist monk of the Kegon sect, and clerical founder of the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. He is popularly known as the "Golden Bell Practitioner" . His life spanned the late Asuka period (538–710) to the early Nara period (710–794), a period associated with the establishment of Buddhism in Japan.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Roben

As a girl name

Roben first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1952, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1961, when 21 Robens were born — ranking #2,675 that year. As of 2026, Roben ranks #13,154 for girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 314 Robens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Roben first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1956, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1965, when 14 Robens were born — ranking #2,177 that year. As of 2026, Roben ranks #10,765 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 130 Robens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
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Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Roben

Phonetically similar names — useful when Roben is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Roben

What does the name Roben mean?
Rōben (良弁、朗弁、良辨、朗辨) (689–773), also known as Ryōben, was a Japanese Buddhist monk of the Kegon sect, and clerical founder of the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. He is popularly known as the "Golden Bell Practitioner" . His life spanned the late Asuka period (538–710) to the early Nara period (710–794), a period associated with the establishment of Buddhism in Japan.
How popular is Roben in 2026?
In 2026, Roben ranks #13,154 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Roben most popular?
Roben reached its peak popularity in 1961, ranking #2,675 that year with 21 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Roben most popular?
Roben has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Roben.
Is Roben a unisex name?
Yes — Roben is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 71% of Robens assigned female and 29% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Roben?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Roben include Aleatha, Daphene, Sonna. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Roben

Roben is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 314 births in the dataset. Roben's peak popularity came in 1961 when it ranked #2,675. Use the chart and map above to compare Roben's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.