Clellon
A masculine name with uncertain origins, possibly from a French phrase.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Clellon. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Clellon today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clellon births was 1922 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clellon. 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 Clellon is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clellons were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clellon. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1922
5 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1952 SSA rank
#3,830
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Clellon: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clellon from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clellon 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 Clellon 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 Clellon
The name Clellon is an uncommon given name with roots in ancient Greece. It is derived from the Greek word "klelos," which means "famous" or "renowned." The earliest known use of this name dates back to the 5th century BC, when it was occasionally bestowed upon male children in Athens and other city-states of ancient Greece.
During the classical period, the name Clellon was associated with the concept of achieving greatness and leaving a lasting legacy. In Greek mythology, there are references to a minor deity named Clellon, who was believed to be the personification of enduring fame and glory.
The name Clellon appears to have fallen out of widespread use after the decline of ancient Greek civilization. However, it resurfaced sporadically throughout history, often as a variant spelling or a derivative of the original Greek form.
One notable individual with this name was Clellon Jones (1715-1782), a Welsh philosopher and author who wrote extensively on the nature of human consciousness and the pursuit of knowledge. His works, although not widely read today, were influential among intellectual circles in 18th-century Europe.
Another historical figure named Clellon was a 19th-century American explorer and naturalist, Clellon Randolph (1832-1897). He is remembered for his expeditions to the Pacific Northwest and his contributions to the study of the region's flora and fauna.
In the realm of literature, Clellon Haymes (1901-1971) was an American novelist and screenwriter. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel "The Human Beast," which explored themes of identity, sexuality, and societal norms in the early 20th century.
A more recent figure with the name Clellon was the British artist and sculptor Clellon Dervish (1926-2003). His abstract works were widely exhibited in galleries across Europe and gained recognition for their unique blend of geometric forms and organic shapes.
Finally, in the field of music, Clellon Burnside (1943-2005) was an American blues guitarist and singer. He was renowned for his distinctive playing style and his contributions to the Chicago blues scene in the latter half of the 20th century.
People
Clellon + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clellon 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
Clellon: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clellon?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clellon 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Clellon a common name?
We classify Clellon as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clellon most popular?
The single biggest year for Clellon was 1922, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clellon is about 68 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 Clellon in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clellon a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clellon 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 Clellon still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clellon 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 Clellon 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 have Clellon as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Clellon, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.