Clever
An English name referring to cleverness or skill.
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the first name Clever. It is a predominantly male name (94.4% of registrations). The average person named Clever today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clever births was 2024 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clever. 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.
People living today
125
~ 1 in 2,742,035 Americans
Peak year
2024
13 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,158
Tracked since 2003
Gender
Gender distribution for Clever
Clever leans heavily male at 94.4% of total registrations, but 7 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Clever as a male name
- Ranked #11,158 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (12 births)
Clever as a female name
- Ranked #12,400 in 2024
- 7 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (7 births)
Popularity
Clever: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clever from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 52 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
Clever 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 Clever 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 Clever
The given name Clever has its origins in the Old English language, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain. It is derived from the Old English word "clæfre," which means "learned" or "wise." The name was likely used to describe someone who was considered intelligent or knowledgeable.
During the Middle Ages, the name Clever was occasionally used in England and other parts of Britain. However, it was not a particularly common name at the time. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Clever is mentioned as a landowner in Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the English philosopher and theologian John Wycliffe (c. 1320-1384) was also known by the nickname "Clever Hough," which may have been a reference to his intellectual abilities. However, it is unclear whether this was his given name or a later epithet.
Throughout the Renaissance and Early Modern periods, the name Clever continued to be used sporadically in England and other parts of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Clever Sharpington (c. 1560-1624), an English writer and poet who was known for his satirical works.
In the 19th century, the name Clever experienced a slight resurgence in popularity. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Clever Dexter (1836-1890), an American lawyer and politician who served as the Mayor of Boston from 1884 to 1888.
Another notable Clever from this period was Clever Exton (1838-1913), a British artist and illustrator who was best known for his depictions of rural life in England.
In the 20th century, the name Clever remained relatively uncommon, but there were still a few notable individuals who bore this name. For example, Clever Westworth (1902-1985) was a British actor who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career.
Overall, while the name Clever has a long and interesting history, it has never been a particularly widespread or popular name. Nevertheless, it has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting its association with intelligence and wisdom.
People
Clever + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clever 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
Clever: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clever?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 125 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clever 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 2,742,035 US residents.
Is Clever a common name?
We classify Clever as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 126 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clever most popular?
The single biggest year for Clever was 2024, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clever is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Clever a male name?
Yes, 94.4% of people registered as Clever 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.