The second king of the Second Dynasty, Raneb succeeded Hotepsekhemwy, the dynasty's founder. Little is known of him, though some sealings have been recovered which bear his name. It is also engraved on the should of a statue in the Cairo Museum.

Raneb is the first king of Egypt to have a name compounded with that of the solar god, Re. A serekh bearing his name is carved in a particularly bold and emphatic manner.

It is possible that Raneb was buried at Saqqara and that his tomb is concealed under later constructions.