Claude

Claude - A very unique male name

Claude appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #78. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Claude and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Claude? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Claude. The baby boy name Claude was given to 10 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3132 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 146,628 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Claude peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 78.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Claude, 1-5?

Claude is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Claude is currently topping the baby name charts in Georgia at position #1,388 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,649.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Claude is where you live.

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Claude origin and meaning

Latin, via French

Uncertain — traditionally given as 'lame' from Latin claudus, but the derivation is disputed

Claude is the French form of the Roman clan name Claudius, long associated with Latin claudus, 'lame,' though that derivation is not secure. It peaked in American use in 1920 and is now very rare for boys. Its French elegance keeps it in quiet circulation through art and music below.

Origin uncertain

Claude is a 6 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Claude, pop culture references for the name Claude and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Claude

We've found the following names that sound similar to Claude, sorted by popularity.

Clyde / Colt / Claud / Claudio / Claudie / Cloyd / Cleotha / Claudia / Cloud / Child /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Claude

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Claude a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Claude?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KLAWD · /klɔːd/

Around the world

• Claudius (Latin) — The Roman clan name.
• Claudio (Italian) — The Italian form.

Spellings and nicknames

• Claud — Rare short spelling.

Nicknames: Claud

Famous bearers

• Claude Monet — French Impressionist painter (1840–1926) Historical
• Claude Debussy — French composer (1862–1918) Historical

Style

Classic

Why parents choose it

A dignified French classic — Monet and Debussy in one syllable — for parents who like vintage understatement.

Worth knowing

• The 'lame' gloss is folk tradition, not fact; French pronunciation (KLOHD) differs from English.