Total births
561
Girls' name · since 1884
Cleva
Cleva has 561 recorded births since 1884 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 561
- total births
- 1884–1959
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
561 girls have been named Cleva since 1884, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Cleva recorded 561 times among girls since 1884, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 1959.
- 561 total births
- 1884–1959 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 26% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
561 girls have been named Cleva since 1884, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1959.
- 561
- total births
- 1884–1959
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 26%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Cleva was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
25 babies were named Cleva in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
Cleva's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Cleva splits its recorded history at 1923: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1901 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 25 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Cleva at a glance
Last recorded 1959Peak year
1918
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1884
Cleva popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–1959
- Peak year (1918)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 76 years of records
Cleva by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Cleva's strongest decade.
145 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Cleva births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 23
1880s
23 births
- 1890s 13
1890s
13 births
- 1900s
1900s
59 births
- 1910s
1910s
119 births
- 1920s
1920s
145 births
- 1930s
1930s
122 births
- 1940s
1940s
64 births
- 1950s 16
1950s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 145 births (26% of all-time use).
How Cleva compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Cleva's total volume
Cleva vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Cleva by state
Where Cleva concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cleva? ▼
Cleva has been given to 561 babies in the U.S. since 1884, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1959. 25 babies were born in 1918, its single highest year.
When was Cleva most popular? ▼
Cleva was most popular in the 1920s decade with 145 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Cleva most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Cleva are Arkansas (5 births), Missouri (5 births).
How long has the name Cleva been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Cleva since 1884 -- 76 years through the most recent 1959 data.
What names are similar to Cleva? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cleo, Clementine, Cleta, Clemmie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cleva's data
- Cleva's decade-level peak was the 1920s (145 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 1950s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Arkansas records the most Clevas (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Arkansas 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 Cleva
Nearby Names Like Cleva
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cleva
Cleo Girl
#607 33,565 births
Clementine Girl
#474 13,676 births
Cleta Girl
4,013 births
Clemmie Girl
2,637 births
Cleopatra Girl
#3402 2,484 births
Compare Cleva side by side: Cleva vs Cleo Cleva vs Clementine Cleva vs Cleta
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, 1884–1959 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cleva: Baby Name Since 1884 - 561 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cleva. 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 Cleva 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.