Cleve
Primarily a boy's name of Old English origin with 4,506 recorded births. Also given to 23 girls.
Meaning & Origin
A small town on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, named after Cleve House in Devon, England.
Cleve is a boy's and girl's baby name of Old English origin, a short form of Cleveland, derived from a place name meaning 'cliff land' or 'hilly district,' from the Old English clif (cliff, slope) and land (land). Cleveland was a common place name and surname.
Cleve was used as a standalone given name primarily in the American South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It carries the rugged, geographic directness of place-derived names — a name that feels rooted in the landscape.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Cleve is rooted in the Old English tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1882 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Cleve’s 4,506 recorded births suggest it has found a niche — possibly within a specific cultural community, region, or naming subculture within the broader American landscape.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Cleve has 126+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1882.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10 | #12543 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 44 | #10405 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 104 | #5739 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 185 | #2886 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 294 | #1756 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 400 | #1244 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 682 | #890 | ▲ |
| 1940s | 553 | #911 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 497 | #907 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 568 | #909 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 484 | #747 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 171 | #577 | ▼ |
| 1890s | 219 | #422 | ▼ |
| 1880s | 295 | #332 | — |
The Story of Cleve
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1951, Cleve is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Cleve are most likely born between 1941 and 1961.
How rare is Cleve?
With 4,506 total births on record, Cleve remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1882, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1950s with 682 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Cleve by the numbers
- Would fill 94 school buses
- Meeting one Cleve per day would take 12.3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(126 years, 1882–2013)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 | #12491 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12594 |
| 2009 | 9 | #8421 |
| 2007 | 8 | #9059 |
| 2006 | 5 | #12377 |
| 2005 | 5 | #11760 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11678 |
| 2003 | 5 | #11195 |
| 2000 | 7 | #8343 |
| 1999 | 7 | #8008 |
| 1997 | 5 | #9522 |
| 1996 | 8 | #6606 |
| 1995 | 8 | #6492 |
| 1994 | 11 | #5159 |
| 1993 | 10 | #5416 |
| 1992 | 18 | #3479 |
| 1991 | 24 | #2763 |
| 1990 | 13 | #4207 |
| 1989 | 17 | #3341 |
| 1988 | 15 | #3382 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Cleve as a Girl's Name
While overwhelmingly a boy's name, Cleve has also been given to 23 girls in the U.S. since 1918.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cleve a boy's or girl's name?
When was Cleve most popular?
How popular is the name Cleve?
Can Cleve be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1882–2013