Claude
Claude is a French given name originating from the Latin name Claudius meaning "crippled" or "lame". In French, it is used for both men and women. In English, it is mostly used for men; it is an uncommon given name for women or a family name.
- French
- English
Meaning & Origin of Claude
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Claude is a French given name originating from the Latin name Claudius meaning "crippled" or "lame". In French, it is used for both men and women. In English, it is mostly used for men; it is an uncommon given name for women or a family name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- French
- English
The Story of Claude
American parents first put Claude on the record books as a baby boy name in 1880, with 309 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 1,893 Claudes were born — ranking #92 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,482 among baby boy names with 33 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 91K Claudes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Claude
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Claude. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Claude
Phonetically similar names — useful when Claude is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Claude
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About the name Claude
Claude is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 91K births in the dataset. Claude's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #46. Use the chart and map above to compare Claude's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.