Reuel is an uncommon given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "friend of God". It is derived from the Hebrew word "re'ûēl", which is composed of two elements: "rā'ū" meaning "friend" and "Ēl" referring to a deity in ancient Semitic religions. In the Bible, Reuel is mentioned as the name of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, who was also a priest of Midian. The name has been used sparingly throughout history but can be found among various cultures and time periods, including in the works of author L. Frank Baum, where it appears as the given name of the Tin Woodman's original owner in "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz".
The name Reuel experienced fluctuations in popularity throughout the years, with significant peaks occurring during World War I and post-war years (1913-1920). The name's highest popularity was in 1920, with 23 births. After a few decades of steady decline, it began to gain some traction again from the late 1940s onwards, reaching another peak in 2022 with 27 births. However, overall, Reuel remains relatively uncommon, with only 895 total births recorded since 1893.