Clee first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Clee has been for the last 1 years (from 1987 to 1987) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Clee

A variant spelling of the name Clive, derived from an Old English name meaning "cliff-dweller."

Popularity of Clee by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Clee is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 1987, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Clee.

Year Male Count Female Count
1987 6 0

The history of the first name Clee

The name Clee originates from the Old English word "clif," meaning a cliff or steep slope. It is believed to have been derived from the Proto-Germanic word "klibu," which carries a similar meaning. The name was initially used as a descriptive term for individuals who lived near cliffs or in hilly regions.

In the early medieval period, the name Clee was primarily found in areas of England with significant Anglo-Saxon influence, such as the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. It gained popularity as a given name during the 7th and 8th centuries, when the Anglo-Saxon culture was at its peak.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Clee can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, a collection of Anglo-Saxon charters and records. In this text, a landowner named Clee is mentioned in a document dated around 685 CE, granting land in the region of Bewdley, Worcestershire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Clee. One of the earliest was Saint Clee, a 7th-century monk and missionary who established a monastery in what is now Cleebury, Shropshire. Another prominent figure was Clee the Scholar, a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon monk renowned for his contributions to the study of Latin and Greek texts.

During the Middle Ages, the name Clee was associated with several influential figures. Clee of Warwick (c. 1080 - 1145) was a renowned architect and stonemason who played a significant role in the construction of Warwick Castle. Clee the Falconer (c. 1200 - 1270) was a renowned falconer in the court of King Henry III, known for his expertise in training and handling birds of prey.

In more recent times, Clee Garner (1891 - 1968) was a notable American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns in the early 20th century. Clee Reynard (1919 - 2008) was a British artist and sculptor, renowned for his abstract works and public installations.

While the name Clee has its roots in Old English and Anglo-Saxon culture, it has maintained a presence throughout various periods of history, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Clee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clee, please contact us.

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"Clee first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/clee-meaning-and-history/.

"Clee first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/clee-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 June, 2025

Clee first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/clee-meaning-and-history/.

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