Clemma
A female name derived from the French word for clematis vine.
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Clemma. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Clemma today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clemma births was 1916 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clemma. 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 Clemma is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clemmas were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clemma. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1916
12 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1952 SSA rank
#5,700
Tracked since 1887
Popularity
Clemma: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clemma from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 47 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clemma 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 Clemma 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 Clemma
The name Clemma has its origins in Ancient Greek, derived from the word "klema," meaning a young green twig or a shoot. It was a name used in various regions of the Greek world during classical antiquity.
In early Christian texts, the name appears as a feminine variant of the male name Clement, which means "merciful" or "mild." This connection to the virtuous quality of mercy may have contributed to its adoption and use among early Christian communities in the Mediterranean region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clemma can be found in the writings of the 4th-century Christian scholar, Saint Jerome. He mentions a woman named Clemma in his letters, suggesting the name was in use during that time period.
In the Middle Ages, the name Clemma appears in various monastic records and chronicles across Europe. It was particularly popular in regions with strong Greek cultural influences, such as Southern Italy and parts of the Byzantine Empire.
Notable historical figures who bore the name Clemma include Clemma of Agrigento (c. 570 - 640 CE), a renowned poet and philosopher from Sicily who wrote extensively on the subjects of ethics and virtue. Another notable bearer of the name was Clemma of Burgundy (c. 990 - 1058), a noble and influential figure in the court of the Dukes of Burgundy during the High Middle Ages.
In the Renaissance period, the name Clemma gained popularity among humanist scholars and intellectuals who revered classical Greek culture. One such figure was Clemma Traversari (1369 - 1439), an Italian scholar and monk who played a crucial role in the revival of Greek learning in the West.
During the Byzantine era, the name Clemma was also prominent among members of the imperial family and aristocracy. One notable example is Clemma Kantakouzene (c. 1300 - 1380), a princess from the influential Kantakouzenos dynasty who was known for her piety and charitable works.
Another historically significant bearer of the name was Clemma of Alexandria (c. 200 - 270 CE), a renowned Christian philosopher and teacher who made significant contributions to the development of early Christian theology and philosophy.
People
Clemma + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clemma 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
Clemma: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clemma?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clemma 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Clemma a common name?
We classify Clemma as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 161 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clemma most popular?
The single biggest year for Clemma was 1916, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clemma is about 84 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 Clemma in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clemma a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clemma in the SSA data are female. 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 Clemma still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clemma 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 Clemma 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 the name Clemma?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Clemma on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.