Declining since 2020, #10,107 for girls today.
Popularity of Clemence since 1886
Babies named Clemence per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1917, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Clemence's real moment was 1901.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 11 | 0 |
| 1890s | 73 | 5 |
| 1900s | 90 | 14 |
| 1910s | 126 | 147 |
| 1920s | 94 | 172 |
| 1930s | 25 | 61 |
| 1940s | 6 | 12 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 | 7 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 |
| 1990s | 5 | 0 |
| 2000s | 16 | 0 |
| 2010s | 60 | 0 |
| 2020s | 42 | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Clemence has never been a common name in the United States. Its peak usage occurred in 1901, though even then it was infrequent. In 2025, the name ranked 10,107th, meaning only about 1 in 178,585 newborn girls received it. The name's trajectory has been falling since 2020, continuing a long-term decline. It was first recorded in the U.S. in 1886. Clemence has not been associated with any particular state or region, as it remains scattered and rare. Despite its rarity, the name carries a gentle, classical appeal through its meaning of mercy and its French heritage.
Clemence is the French feminine form of the Latin name Clementia, derived from clemens meaning 'mild, merciful.' The name was used in medieval France and England, though it never achieved widespread popularity in the Anglophone world. It is related to the masculine Clement, which has been more common historically.
“Clemence” around the world
Where Clemence lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
#73
in 2024
Quebec
#37
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Clem
Variants: Clemence, Clemency
Sibling names for Clemence
Names that share Clemence's style, for a brother or sister.
