Find out how popular the first name Clovis has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Clovis by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Clovis is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Clovis.

The history of the first name Clovis

The name Clovis has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically from the Frankish Chlodovech, derived from the elements hlud meaning "famous" and wig meaning "combat" or "warrior". It emerged around the 5th century AD, during the time of the Merovingian dynasty in what is now France.

One of the earliest and most notable bearers of the name was Clovis I, also known as Clovis the Frank or Clovis the Great (c. 466–511 AD). He was the first king of the Franks to unite all Frankish tribes under one ruler, laying the foundations for the later Kingdom of France. Clovis is credited with converting to Catholic Christianity, further influencing the spread of the religion in Western Europe.

The name gained popularity and prominence due to its association with Clovis I. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, it was frequently used among the nobility and ruling classes of Europe, particularly in France and the Holy Roman Empire.

Another notable figure named Clovis was Clovis III (c. 675–695 AD), a Merovingian king of the Franks who ruled from 690 to 695 AD. Although his reign was relatively short and uneventful, he continued the dynastic line of Merovingian kings.

In the 9th century, Clovis II (c. 634–657 AD) was a Merovingian king of Neustria and Burgundy, ruling from 639 to 657 AD. He is known for his efforts to consolidate power and strengthen the Frankish kingdom during a period of political instability.

During the 16th century, Clovis Hesteau (c. 1494–1572) was a French Renaissance philosopher and humanist scholar, renowned for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Roman literature.

In more recent times, Clovis Trouille (1889–1975) was a French artist and painter known for his landscape and still life works, particularly those depicting scenes from his native Provence region.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Clovis was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clovis, please contact us.

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