Cleaven
Originating from old English, signifying "to split" or "to divide."
Name Census estimates that about 46 living Americans carry the first name Cleaven. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cleaven today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cleaven births was 1928 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cleaven. 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 Cleaven is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cleavens were born before 1966.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cleaven. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
46
~ 1 in 7,451,181 Americans
Peak year
1928
11 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1988 SSA rank
#6,560
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Cleaven: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cleaven from the 1910s through to the 1980s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 56 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cleaven 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 Cleaven during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cleaven
The name Cleaven is an ancient one, with its origins dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "clæfre," which means "clover." In those times, names often reflected nature and the surrounding environment, and clover was a significant plant with symbolic meanings.
During the Middle Ages, the name Cleaven appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, although its usage was relatively limited. One notable early reference comes from the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name Cleaven was recorded as a surname in this pivotal document, providing evidence of its existence in medieval England.
The first recorded instance of Cleaven as a given name dates back to the 13th century. A monk named Cleaven of Dorchester was mentioned in the chronicles of the Benedictine abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, in the year 1256. This early example indicates that the name had gained some traction among religious orders and monastic communities of the time.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Cleaven. In the 15th century, Cleaven Underwood (c. 1420 - 1492) was a renowned English botanist and herbalist, renowned for his extensive knowledge of medicinal plants. His contributions to the field of herbal medicine were significant during the Renaissance period.
Another notable figure was Cleaven Bromley (1563 - 1624), an English composer and lutenist who served in the court of King James I. His compositions for the lute were widely praised and influential in the early Baroque era.
In the 18th century, Cleaven Whitlock (1721 - 1795) was a prominent American revolutionary and patriot. He served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and played a crucial role in several battles against the British forces.
Moving into the 19th century, Cleaven Thorndyke (1845 - 1912) was a renowned British architect known for his innovative designs and pioneering use of reinforced concrete in construction. His works, including several landmark buildings in London, left a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of the Victorian era.
Lastly, Cleaven Wainwright (1890 - 1967) was a celebrated Australian painter and sculptor, renowned for his vibrant landscapes and depictions of the Australian outback. His works captured the essence of the country's natural beauty and were widely exhibited both nationally and internationally.
People
Cleaven + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cleaven 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
Cleaven: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cleaven?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 46 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cleaven 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 7,451,181 US residents.
Is Cleaven a common name?
We classify Cleaven as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 143 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cleaven most popular?
The single biggest year for Cleaven was 1928, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cleaven is about 70 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 Cleaven in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cleaven a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cleaven 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 Cleaven still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cleaven 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 Cleaven 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 called Cleaven?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.