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2025 data, released 8 May 2026

2025 data, released 8 May 2026

Claude

Claude was the 3044th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 40 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 46th; the most babies were born in 1920 (1,893). Over the last ten years it has moved down 611 places. More babies were named Claude in the 1920s than in any other decade.

Meaning from Claudius (traditionally 'lame') · French, Latin

Say it KLAWD /klɔd/

Rank in 2025
#3,044 boys, down 276 places since 2020
Babies in 2025
40boys
Girls and boys
Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
Peak year
19201,893 babies
Total since 1880
92,289babies recorded

What does the name Claude mean?

Claude is the French form of Latin Claudius, the name of a Roman family (gens) and of the emperor Claudius, used in English since the 16th century. DMNES derives the name from Latin claudus 'lame', but Wiktionary says that derivation is traditional and a Sabine origin is more likely. The painter Claude Monet and composer Claude Debussy are famous bearers.

Claudius (Latin, “Roman family name”)claudus (Latin, “lame (traditional)”)

How sure is this? Disputed. DMNES gives claudus 'lame'; Wiktionary prefers a Sabine origin.

Related names: Claudia, Claudius, Claudio, Claudette.

See also: Latin names.

Sources for this meaning

Claude popularity since 1880

05001k1.5k2k 1900192019401960198020002020
Boys Babies per year, US, from Social Security records. Years with fewer than 5 babies show as zero.

A few girls are given the name too: 952 since 1880.

YearRank (boys)Babies (boys)
2025#3,04440
2020#2,76844
2010#2,33255
2000#1,30299
1990#836151
1980#524268
1970#383447
1960#277837
1950#1771,253
1940#1451,194
1930#1221,481
1920#921,893
1910#78463
1900#59433
1890#57347
1880#56309

How popular is Claude, counting every spelling?

Claude has no other common spelling that sounds the same.

How many kids will share the name Claude?

40 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Claude (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Claude born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 210 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Claude.

Chance of another Claude in a class of 20under 1 in 50US, born 2025

Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.

How old are people named Claude?

About 26,700 people born in the US named Claude are alive today, with a median age of 68; half are between 55 and 77. That makes Claude a name most people associate with older generations.

0–910–1920–2930–3940–4950–5960–6970–7980–8990+
Estimated people alive in the US with the name, by age, mid-2026. The darker bar holds the median age.

Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.

Claude by state

How common Claude was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 48 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.

Alaska: fewer than 5 a yearAK–Maine: fewer than 5 a yearME–Wisconsin: fewer than 5 a yearWI–Vermont: fewer than 5 a yearVT–New Hampshire: fewer than 5 a yearNH–Washington: fewer than 5 a yearWA–Idaho: fewer than 5 a yearID–Montana: fewer than 5 a yearMT–North Dakota: fewer than 5 a yearND–Minnesota: fewer than 5 a yearMN–Illinois: fewer than 5 a yearIL–Michigan: fewer than 5 a yearMI–New York: fewer than 5 a yearNY–Massachusetts: fewer than 5 a yearMA–Oregon: fewer than 5 a yearOR–Nevada: fewer than 5 a yearNV–Wyoming: fewer than 5 a yearWY–South Dakota: fewer than 5 a yearSD–Iowa: fewer than 5 a yearIA–Indiana: fewer than 5 a yearIN–Ohio: fewer than 5 a yearOH–Pennsylvania: fewer than 5 a yearPA–New Jersey: fewer than 5 a yearNJ–Connecticut: fewer than 5 a yearCT–Rhode Island: fewer than 5 a yearRI–California: 0.01 per 1,000 babiesCA0.01Utah: fewer than 5 a yearUT–Colorado: fewer than 5 a yearCO–Nebraska: fewer than 5 a yearNE–Missouri: fewer than 5 a yearMO–Kentucky: fewer than 5 a yearKY–West Virginia: fewer than 5 a yearWV–Virginia: fewer than 5 a yearVA–Maryland: fewer than 5 a yearMD–Delaware: fewer than 5 a yearDE–Arizona: fewer than 5 a yearAZ–New Mexico: fewer than 5 a yearNM–Kansas: fewer than 5 a yearKS–Arkansas: fewer than 5 a yearAR–Tennessee: fewer than 5 a yearTN–North Carolina: fewer than 5 a yearNC–South Carolina: fewer than 5 a yearSC–District of Columbia: fewer than 5 a yearDC–Oklahoma: fewer than 5 a yearOK–Louisiana: fewer than 5 a yearLA–Mississippi: fewer than 5 a yearMS–Alabama: fewer than 5 a yearAL–Georgia: 0.02 per 1,000 babiesGA0.02Hawaii: fewer than 5 a yearHI–Texas: 0.01 per 1,000 babiesTX0.01Florida: fewer than 5 a yearFL–
Babies per 1,000 of the same sex, Claude, boys, 2021–2025. Darker means more common.

Names with a similar history

These names rose and fell in step with Claude: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Claude, they share its era and feel.

Middle names for Claude

Questions about the name Claude

What does Claude mean?

Claude is usually explained as “from Claudius (traditionally 'lame')”, but this is disputed. Certainty: disputed.

How popular is the name Claude?

Claude was the 3044th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 40 babies. Its best year was 1887, when it ranked 46th; the most babies were born in 1920 (1,893). Over the last ten years it has moved down 611 places. More babies were named Claude in the 1920s than in any other decade.

Is Claude a boy or girl name?

In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Claude in the US.

Where is Claude most popular?

In 2021–2025, Claude was most common in Georgia (0.02 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and California.