Cleve Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CLEEV //kliv//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: English: cliff; Old English: slope
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Cleve has its roots in Old English, derived from the word "cleof," which means "cliff" or "slope." This term evolved through various linguistic stages, transitioning from Old English to Middle English, and eventually making its way into modern English. The name is thought to have originally referred to someone who lived near a cliff or a steep area, reflecting the topographical features of the landscape in which early English speakers resided.
The name Cleve may also be linked to the Old Norse word "klif," which carries a similar meaning, indicating a shared linguistic heritage among the Germanic languages. Historically, the name Cleve can be associated with several notable figures and places.
One significant milestone is the use of the name in the context of the Cleves region in Germany, which became prominent during the Middle Ages. The Duchy of Cleves was established in the 14th century and played a role in the political landscape of Europe, particularly during the Renaissance.
Additionally, the name gained attention through Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England, whose marriage in 1540 was a notable event in Tudor history. This connection helped to solidify the name's presence in English-speaking contexts.
Culturally, the name Cleve has been associated with strength and stability, reflecting its geographical origins. The imagery of cliffs and slopes evokes a sense of endurance and resilience, qualities that have contributed to the name's lasting significance.
While diminutive forms or variations of the name are less commonly noted, the name Cleve itself has maintained a certain gravitas through its historical connections and etymological roots. Overall, the name Cleve encapsulates a blend of linguistic evolution, historical importance, and cultural resonance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.
Famous people named Cleve
In this section, you will find notable people named Cleve. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Cleve who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Cleve who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Cleve Jones is an activist best known for co-founding the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, and his work in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Cleve, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Cleve. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Cleve was first seen in the United States in 1882.
Cleve has ranked as high as #942 nationally, which occurred in 1951, and has been most popular in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, and California.
In the past 5 years the name Cleve has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Cleve is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Cleve was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Cleve (1977)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| IL | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Cleve.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2000 | 7 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1995 | 8 |
| 1994 | 11 |
| 1993 | 10 |
| 1992 | 18 |
| 1991 | 24 |
| 1990 | 13 |
| 1989 | 17 |
| 1988 | 15 |
| 1987 | 11 |
| 1986 | 13 |
| 1985 | 16 |
| 1984 | 22 |
| 1983 | 23 |
| 1982 | 16 |
| 1981 | 18 |
| 1980 | 34 |
| 1979 | 19 |
| 1978 | 29 |
| 1977 | 38 |
| 1976 | 26 |
| 1975 | 21 |
| 1974 | 28 |
| 1973 | 24 |
| 1972 | 42 |
| 1971 | 33 |
| 1970 | 34 |
| 1969 | 36 |
| 1968 | 28 |
| 1967 | 31 |
| 1966 | 40 |
| 1965 | 34 |
| 1964 | 36 |
| 1963 | 45 |
| 1962 | 49 |
| 1961 | 54 |
| 1960 | 47 |
| 1959 | 67 |
| 1958 | 61 |
| 1957 | 55 |
| 1956 | 63 |
| 1955 | 67 |
| 1954 | 80 |
| 1953 | 69 |
| 1952 | 73 |
| 1951 | 83 |
| 1950 | 64 |
| 1949 | 68 |
| 1948 | 78 |
| 1947 | 80 |
| 1946 | 47 |
| 1945 | 45 |
| 1944 | 49 |
| 1943 | 56 |
| 1942 | 53 |
| 1941 | 38 |
| 1940 | 39 |
| 1939 | 43 |
| 1938 | 51 |
| 1937 | 38 |
| 1936 | 53 |
| 1935 | 50 |
| 1934 | 61 |
| 1933 | 57 |
| 1932 | 53 |
| 1931 | 44 |
| 1930 | 47 |
| 1929 | 52 |
| 1928 | 64 |
| 1927 | 52 |
| 1926 | 54 |
| 1925 | 50 |
| 1924 | 55 |
| 1923 | 52 |
| 1922 | 63 |
| 1921 | 61 |
| 1920 | 65 |
| 1919 | 57 |
| 1918 | 61 |
| 1917 | 61 |
| 1916 | 62 |
| 1915 | 62 |
| 1914 | 57 |
| 1913 | 30 |
| 1912 | 41 |
| 1911 | 23 |
| 1910 | 30 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1908 | 19 |
| 1907 | 24 |
| 1906 | 18 |
| 1905 | 16 |
| 1904 | 14 |
| 1903 | 15 |
| 1902 | 16 |
| 1901 | 12 |
| 1900 | 16 |
| 1899 | 14 |
| 1898 | 16 |
| 1897 | 25 |
| 1896 | 17 |
| 1895 | 16 |
| 1894 | 26 |
| 1893 | 28 |
| 1892 | 35 |
| 1891 | 24 |
| 1890 | 18 |
| 1889 | 22 |
| 1888 | 44 |
| 1887 | 34 |
| 1886 | 36 |
| 1885 | 69 |
| 1884 | 65 |
| 1883 | 12 |
| 1882 | 13 |