Claude
Boy name · #3036 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Claude? In official American birth records, Claude has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Claude ranks #3036 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 40 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2429, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 45,000 boys born in 2025 was named Claude.
Babies named Claude per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Claude first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 309 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 1,893 boys were named Claude — good for #92 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Claude against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Claude in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Claude is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Claude will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Claude is most common
State-level data for Claude is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Claude
Statistically, parents drawn to Claude tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Clarence, Bennie, Merle, Herman, and Jimmie.
ClarenceBennieMerleHermanJimmieHubertJohnnieChester
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Claude | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | #3036 |
| 2024 | 35 | #3335 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3117 |
| 2022 | 34 | #3412 |
| 2021 | 38 | #3121 |
| 2020 | 44 | #2759 |
| 2019 | 42 | #2897 |
| 2018 | 51 | #2507 |
| 2017 | 40 | #2951 |
| 2016 | 55 | #2365 |
| 2015 | 52 | #2429 |
| 2014 | 42 | #2805 |
| 2013 | 43 | #2715 |
| 2012 | 45 | #2678 |
| 2011 | 47 | #2590 |
| 2010 | 55 | #2324 |
| 2009 | 58 | #2252 |
| 2008 | 66 | #2088 |
| 2007 | 58 | #2257 |
| 2006 | 62 | #2102 |
| 2005 | 70 | #1838 |
| 2004 | 65 | #1880 |
| 2003 | 82 | #1548 |
| 2002 | 70 | #1682 |
| 2001 | 69 | #1677 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Claude?
In official American birth records, the name Claude first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 309 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Claude a popular boy name?
Claude ranked #3036 among boys in 2025 with 40 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2429.
When was the name Claude most popular?
Claude peaked in 1920, when 1,893 American boys received the name (ranked #92 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Claude?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 45,000 newborn American boys was named Claude. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.