NamesBoyC › Cleve
Boy name

Cleve

/ˈkliv/ · 99% boys · last recorded 2013

Cleve has been given to about 4,529 people in the United States since 1880. It was most common in 1951, which makes it a midcentury name.

Meaning
Origin
Syllables1
Pronunciation/ˈkliv/
Nicknames
Living in the US≈ 2,112
Median age today69 years

Popularity, 1880–2025

Babies named Cleve per year · US Social Security Administration
18802025
  • Peak year1951 · 83
  • Born in 20250
  • All time4,529

How popular is Cleve?

Its best year was 1951, when 83 babies were given the name, ranking 767th. The typical living American called Cleve is about 69 years old today.

Names that sound like Cleve

Phonetic similarity, 0–1
  1. Steve0.70
  2. Love0.62
  3. Clyde0.56
  4. Clement0.58
  5. Keven0.56
  6. Clarence0.52
  7. Cleo0.53
  8. Cleveland0.52

Middle names for Cleve

Ranked by flow score
  1. Cleve Thomas0.80
  2. Cleve James0.80
  3. Cleve Miles0.79
  4. Cleve Wilder0.78
  5. Cleve Cole0.65
  6. Cleve Paul0.61

Sibling names for Cleve

Same era, comparable use, no clash
  1. Lenorasister · 0.85
  2. Ruthiesister · 0.83
  3. Louiebrother · 0.83
  4. Otisbrother · 0.82
  5. Winonasister · 0.82
  6. Hughbrother · 0.81

Where Cleve is strongest

Share of 2025 births by state

    With a common surname

    Flow score against the most-used American surnames · try your own
    1. Cleve Wilson0.75
    2. Cleve Williams0.75
    3. Cleve Walker0.75
    4. Cleve Turner0.75
    5. Cleve Torres0.75
    6. Cleve Thompson0.75

    How to read these numbers

    Every score on this page is explained
    1. Phonetic similarity0–1
    2. Middle-name flow0–1
    3. Sibling fit0–1
    4. Living population estimatemethod
    5. PronunciationCMU dictionary

    Sources for Cleve

    Every figure on this page is public record
    1. United States1880–2025
    2. PronunciationCMU dictionary

    Source: US Social Security Administration, national and state name files, 2025 release. Etymology researched and written by our editors. Living-population and median-age figures are our own estimates, described in the methodology.