Cleman
A diminutive form of Clement, derived from Latin "clemens" meaning gentle or merciful.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Cleman. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Cleman today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cleman births was 1919 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cleman. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cleman. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1919
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1920 SSA rank
#3,911
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Cleman: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cleman from the 1910s through to the 1920s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 6 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
Cleman 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 Cleman 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 Cleman
The name Cleman is derived from the ancient Greek name Klementos, meaning "mild" or "merciful." It originated in the late Roman Empire, around the 3rd century AD, and was initially used as a surname for those with a gentle or compassionate nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cleman can be found in the writings of the early Christian scholar and theologian, Clement of Alexandria, who lived from around 150-215 AD. He is considered one of the most significant figures in the development of Christian philosophy and theology during the Ante-Nicene period.
In the 4th century, Pope Clement I, also known as Saint Clement, served as the fourth Bishop of Rome from around 88-99 AD. He is regarded as one of the first Apostolic Fathers of the Church and is venerated as a saint in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
Another notable figure with the name Cleman was Clement of Ireland, a Christian missionary and scholar who lived in the 8th century AD. He is credited with establishing several monasteries and churches in Ireland and is recognized as a patron saint of the country.
During the Middle Ages, the name Cleman gained popularity across Europe, particularly in France and England. One notable individual was Clement Attlee, the British Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951. He played a crucial role in establishing the welfare state and the National Health Service in Britain.
In the 16th century, Clemens Jäger, also known as Clement Jäger or Clemens Jager, was a German Renaissance painter and engraver. He is best known for his religious paintings and woodcuts, which were widely influential in his time.
While the name Cleman has its roots in ancient Greek and Christian traditions, it has been adapted and used across various cultures and time periods, reflecting the diverse histories and legacies associated with this name.
People
Cleman + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cleman 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
Cleman: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cleman?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cleman 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 - US residents.
Is Cleman a common name?
We classify Cleman as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cleman most popular?
The single biggest year for Cleman was 1919, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cleman is about 0 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 Cleman in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cleman a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cleman 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 Cleman still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cleman 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 Cleman 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 Cleman as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.