Total births
4,275
Boys' name · since 1880
Clem
4,275 babies named Clem in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1917. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 4,275
- total births
- 1880–2017
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
Clem is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 4,275 have been recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clem has been recorded 4,275 times among boys since 1880, 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 1880 to 2017.
- 4,275 total births
- 1880–2017 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 20% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
4,275 boys have been named Clem since 1880, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 2017.
- 4,275
- total births
- 1880–2017
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 20%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
20% of everyone ever named Clem was born in this single decade.
1917
Single peak year
102 babies were named Clem in 1917 - its busiest year on record.
Clem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Clem's SSA record in two at 1940 and the more recent half accounts for 32% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 68%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1973, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1917 peak of 102, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Clem at a glance
Last recorded 2017Peak year
1917
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1880
Clem popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2017
- Peak year (1917)
- 102
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Clem popularity over time - girls
54 total births recorded since 1889 (Clem as girls' name)
Clem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Clem's strongest decade.
845 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Clem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 298
1880s
298 births
- 1890s 267
1890s
267 births
- 1900s 221
1900s
221 births
- 1910s
1910s
719 births
- 1920s
1920s
845 births
- 1930s
1930s
551 births
- 1940s
1940s
499 births
- 1950s
1950s
355 births
- 1960s 244
1960s
244 births
- 1970s 111
1970s
111 births
- 1980s 87
1980s
87 births
- 1990s 32
1990s
32 births
- 2000s 26
2000s
26 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 845 births (20% of all-time use).
How Clem compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Clem's total volume
Clem vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Clem by state
Where Clem concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 244 | 5.7% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 107 | 2.5% |
| #3 | Indiana | | 101 | 2.4% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 82 | 1.9% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 63 | 1.5% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 63 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 43 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 42 | 1.0% |
Texas share of Clem's total US births 5.7%
Even split
244 of 4,275 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Clem appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clem? ▼
4,275 babies have been named Clem since 1880. It was last recorded in 2017. The peak year was 1917 with 102 births.
When was Clem most popular? ▼
Clem was most popular in the 1920s decade with 845 total births. The single peak year was 1917.
Where is Clem most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Clem are Texas (244 births), Pennsylvania (107 births), Indiana (101 births).
How long has the name Clem been used? ▼
Records for Clem go back to 1880, giving 138 years of history through 2017.
What names are similar to Clem? ▼
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 Clem's data
- Clem's decade-level peak was the 1920s (845 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Clems (244 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 Clem
Nearby Names Like Clem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clem
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 Clem side by side: Clem vs Cleveland Clem vs Clement Clem vs Cleo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1880–2017 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Clem: Baby Name Since 1880 - 4,275 Births, Peak 1917." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clem. 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 Clem 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 June 2026.