boy's name
Cletus
KLEE-tus (English)
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Rare
- Births on record 7,709
Cletus is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
- Peaked in 1922, when 243 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 368,460 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1886.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Cletus Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 10 |
| 1890s | 90 |
| 1900s | 185 |
| 1910s | 1,276 |
| 1920s | 2,012 |
| 1930s | 1,337 |
| 1940s | 910 |
| 1950s | 661 |
| 1960s | 536 |
| 1970s | 251 |
| 1980s | 189 |
| 1990s | 85 |
| 2000s | 64 |
| 2010s | 61 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 42 |
How Popular Is Cletus?
In 2025, Cletus was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Cletus
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Cletus Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Cletus over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Cletus
- English KLEE-tus /ˈkliːtəs/
Sibling Names for Cletus
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Cletus — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Cletus
How popular is the name Cletus?
In 2025, Cletus was given to 9 babies in the United States. It is a rare choice.
Is Cletus a girl's or a boy's name?
Cletus is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Cletus?
Cletus has 2 syllables.
When was Cletus most popular?
Cletus peaked in 1922, when 243 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Cletus a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Cletus currently ranks #8,595 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.