Cledus
A masculine name derived from the word "clodpole," possibly meaning "dull-witted."
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Cledus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cledus today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cledus births was 1922 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cledus. 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 Cledus is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cledus' were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cledus. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1922
5 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,653
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Cledus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cledus from the 1920s through to the 1940s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Cledus remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cledus 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 Cledus 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 Cledus
The name Cledus is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek language, derived from the word "klados," which means a branch or shoot of a plant. It is thought to have been used as a name during the classical period in Greece, around the 5th century BCE.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cledus can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Thucydides, who mentioned a soldier bearing this name during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BCE.
In the Middle Ages, the name Cledus was occasionally used in various regions of Europe, particularly in areas with a strong Greek cultural influence. However, its usage was relatively rare compared to other names of the time.
One notable historical figure with the name Cledus was Cledus of Auvergne, a 7th-century Frankish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the expansion of the Merovingian dynasty in what is now central France.
During the Renaissance period, the name Cledus experienced a slight resurgence in popularity, particularly among scholars and academics who were fascinated by ancient Greek culture and language. One prominent example was Cledus Felicianus, an Italian humanist scholar and poet who lived in the 15th century.
In the 19th century, the name Cledus was occasionally used in certain regions of the United States, particularly in the southern states, where it was likely influenced by the Greek-derived names brought by early European settlers. One notable figure from this period was Cledus T. Hudkins, a Confederate soldier and farmer from Mississippi who fought in the American Civil War.
Another historical figure with the name Cledus was Cledus Huntington, an American businessman and philanthropist from the late 19th century, who was instrumental in the development of the city of Huntington, West Virginia, which was named after him.
While the name Cledus has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has maintained a connection to its ancient Greek roots and has been carried by individuals across various cultures and time periods.
People
Cledus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cledus 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
Cledus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cledus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cledus 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 Cledus a common name?
We classify Cledus 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, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cledus most popular?
The single biggest year for Cledus was 1922, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cledus is about 76 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 Cledus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cledus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cledus 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 Cledus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cledus 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 Cledus 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 Cledus?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.