Claven
A masculine name of Old English origin, likely a variation of "Clavien", meaning "key holder".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Claven. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Claven today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Claven births was 1950 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Claven. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Claven is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clavens were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Claven. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1950
5 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1950 SSA rank
#3,776
Tracked since 1950
Popularity
Claven: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Claven by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Claven during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Claven
The given name Claven has its origins in ancient Gaelic, a branch of the Celtic language family. It is believed to have emerged around the 5th century CE in the regions of present-day Ireland and Scotland. The name is derived from the Old Irish word "cluain," which means "meadow" or "pasture."
In the early medieval period, Claven was a relatively common name among the Gaelic-speaking populations of the British Isles. It carried connotations of rural life, pastoral settings, and a connection to nature. However, there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures from that era.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Claven was a 7th-century Irish monk and scholar known as Claven of Iona. He was associated with the renowned monastery on the island of Iona, which played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and parts of England.
In the 10th century, a Gaelic chieftain named Claven mac Domhnall ruled over a small kingdom in what is now western Scotland. He is mentioned in several Scottish annals and genealogies from that time period.
During the High Middle Ages, the name Claven gained some prominence in parts of England due to the Norman conquest and the subsequent influx of Gaelic settlers. One notable figure was Claven of Shrewsbury, a 12th-century cleric and diplomat who served as an envoy for King Henry II of England.
In the 16th century, Claven Macalister was a renowned Scottish Highland warrior and clan chief who participated in various conflicts and battles against rival clans. He is celebrated in Scottish folklore and traditional songs for his bravery and leadership.
Another historical figure bearing the name was Claven O'Donnell, an Irish nobleman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent member of the O'Donnell clan and played a significant role in the Nine Years' War against English forces in Ireland.
While the name Claven has fallen out of widespread use in modern times, it continues to be a part of historical records and cultural traditions, particularly in Ireland, Scotland, and parts of England with strong Celtic influences.
People
Claven + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Claven as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Claven: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Claven?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Claven going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Claven a common name?
We classify Claven as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Claven most popular?
The single biggest year for Claven was 1950, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Claven is about 85 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Claven in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Claven a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Claven in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Claven still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Claven in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Claven can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Claven?
Want to know how many Americans are named Claven? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.