Clemons
A masculine name derived from the Medieval French name Clemence, meaning "merciful" or "gentle".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Clemons. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Clemons today is around 87 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clemons births was 1919 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clemons. 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 Clemons is about 87 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clemons' were born before 1949.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clemons. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1919
8 babies that year
Average age
87
years old
1952 SSA rank
#3,831
Tracked since 1910
Popularity
Clemons: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clemons from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 42 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clemons 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 Clemons 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 Clemons
The name Clemons is a variant of the French name Clement, which is derived from the Roman family name Clemens. The name Clemens is thought to have originated from the Latin word "clemens," meaning "mild" or "merciful."
In the early days of Christianity, the name Clement was given to several early popes and saints, including Pope Clement I, who is believed to have been the fourth pope and served from around 88-97 AD. Another notable bearer of the name was Clement of Alexandria, a Christian theologian who lived from around 150-215 AD.
The name Clemons gained popularity in medieval Europe, particularly in France and England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clemons is from the 11th century, when a Benedictine monk named Clemons of Arras lived in northern France.
During the Middle Ages, the name Clemons was also associated with several notable figures. Clemons Bretton, born around 1185, was an English cleric and author who wrote extensively on religious matters. In the 14th century, Clemons Maydeston was a prominent English lawyer and judge.
As the name spread throughout Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Clemens, Clemence, and Clemons. One notable bearer of the name was Clemens Alexandrinus, a Greek philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries.
Another significant figure in history was Clemons Wenceslas, a Bohemian prince and saint who lived from 976-997 AD. He is revered as the patron saint of Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) and is celebrated on September 28th each year.
In the 16th century, Clemons Janicki was a Polish poet and humanist who was highly regarded for his Latin poetry. Meanwhile, in the 17th century, Clemons Galiläi was an Italian astronomer and philosopher who played a crucial role in the scientific revolution.
As the name spread globally, it continued to be used by influential individuals. In the 19th century, Clemons Roault was a French painter and one of the founders of the Impressionist movement, while Clemons Studebaker was an American entrepreneur and co-founder of the Studebaker Corporation, a famous automobile manufacturer.
People
Clemons + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clemons 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
Clemons: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clemons?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clemons 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Clemons a common name?
We classify Clemons as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 72 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clemons most popular?
The single biggest year for Clemons was 1919, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clemons is about 87 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Clemons a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clemons 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.
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.