Total births
403
Boys' name · since 1885
Cleave
Cleave has 403 recorded births since 1885 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1920 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 403
- total births
- 1885–1972
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
Cleave is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 403 have been recorded since 1885.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cleave has been recorded 403 times among boys since 1885, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1885 to 1972.
- 403 total births
- 1885–1972 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 27% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
403 boys have been named Cleave since 1885, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1972.
- 403
- total births
- 1885–1972
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 27%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Cleave was born in this single decade.
1920
Single peak year
18 babies were named Cleave in 1920 - its busiest year on record.
Cleave's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Cleave splits its recorded history at 1927: 47% of all births land in the more recent half, 53% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1889 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1920 peak of 18 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Cleave at a glance
Last recorded 1972Peak year
1920
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1885
Cleave popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1885–1972
- Peak year (1920)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 88 years of records
Cleave by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Cleave's strongest decade.
107 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Cleave births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 17
1880s
17 births
- 1890s 24
1890s
24 births
- 1900s 15
1900s
15 births
- 1910s
1910s
77 births
- 1920s
1920s
107 births
- 1930s
1930s
63 births
- 1940s 33
1940s
33 births
- 1950s
1950s
57 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 107 births (27% of all-time use).
Cleave by state
Where Cleave concentrates geographically, total births since 1885
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 6 | 1.5% |
Texas share of Cleave's total US births 1.5%
6 of 403 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cleave? ▼
Since 1885, Social Security records show 403 babies named Cleave. The most recent recorded year was 1972. Its busiest year on record was 1920, with 18 births.
When was Cleave most popular? ▼
Cleave was most popular in the 1920s decade with 107 total births. The single peak year was 1920.
Where is Cleave most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cleave are Texas (6 births).
How long has the name Cleave been used? ▼
Cleave has been recorded in Social Security data since 1885, spanning 88 years of data through 1972.
What names are similar to Cleave? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cleveland, Clement, Cleo, Cletus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cleave's data
- Cleave's decade-level peak was the 1920s (107 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Cleaves (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cleave
Nearby Names Like Cleave
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cleave
Cleveland Boy
#6471 21,945 births
Clement Boy
#2211 14,167 births
Cleo Boy
#4710 11,527 births
Cletus Boy
#10969 7,437 births
Cleve Boy
4,506 births
Compare Cleave side by side: Cleave vs Cleveland Cleave vs Clement Cleave vs Cleo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1885–1972 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cleave: Baby Name Since 1885 - 403 Births, Peak 1920." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cleave. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cleave draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.