Holding steady.
Popularity of Cleva since 1884
Babies named Cleva per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Cleva's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 23 |
| 1890s | 13 |
| 1900s | 59 |
| 1910s | 119 |
| 1920s | 145 |
| 1930s | 122 |
| 1940s | 64 |
| 1950s | 16 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Cleva is a rare given name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1884, its peak year of usage. The name never achieved wide popularity and remains nearly unique. Its origin is uncertain, with possible ties to Cleo or Cleveland. The name's trajectory is stable, meaning it has seen little change in its extremely low usage over time. Because it never ranked in the top 1,000 names in any year, its 1-in-N incidence is negligible. Cleva is an example of a late-19th-century invention that never gained traction.
Cleva is a rare given name of uncertain derivation. It may have originated as a short form or variant of Cleo, a name borne in Greek mythology, or as a feminine form of the surname and place name Cleveland. The name appears sporadically in late 19th-century U.S. records but never achieved widespread use.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Clee
Sibling names for Cleva
Names that share Cleva's style, for a brother or sister.
