Cleon
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κλέων (Kléōn), from κλέω (kléō, “to recount, celebrate”).
Every Cleon since 1884 — 3,189 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cleon
Cleon is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #9,900 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 3,189 American babies have been named Cleon — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1921, when 86 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cleon stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cleon year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 7 | #9,900 |
| 2024 | — | — | 8 | #9,156 |
| 2023 | — | — | 9 | #8,382 |
| 2022 | — | — | 10 | #7,870 |
| 2021 | — | — | 7 | #9,928 |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | 5 | #12,524 |
| 2018 | — | — | 5 | #12,533 |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | 10 | #7,703 |
| 2015 | — | — | 11 | #7,158 |
| 2014 | — | — | 7 | #9,834 |
| 2013 | — | — | 5 | #12,491 |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | 10 | #7,606 |
| 2010 | — | — | 9 | #8,268 |
| 2009 | — | — | 6 | #11,253 |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | 5 | #12,702 |
| 2006 | — | — | 6 | #10,920 |
| 2005 | — | — | 11 | #6,717 |
| 2004 | — | — | 8 | #8,268 |
| 2003 | — | — | 6 | #9,792 |
| 2002 | — | — | 14 | #5,179 |
| 2001 | — | — | 7 | #8,469 |
| 2000 | — | — | 6 | #9,291 |
| 1995 | — | — | 20 | #3,328 |
| 1990 | — | — | 18 | #3,333 |
| 1985 | — | — | 15 | #3,097 |
| 1980 | — | — | 13 | #3,286 |
| 1975 | — | — | 43 | #1,324 |
| 1970 | — | — | 60 | #1,055 |
| 1965 | — | — | 17 | #1,931 |
| 1960 | — | — | 15 | #2,141 |
| 1955 | — | — | 26 | #1,510 |
| 1950 | — | — | 28 | #1,368 |
| 1945 | — | — | 29 | #1,231 |
| 1940 | — | — | 32 | #1,189 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,322 | 32 | #1,169 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,400 | 55 | #894 |
| 1925 | 10 | #3,152 | 66 | #817 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,116 | 57 | #915 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,408 | 39 | #1,022 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,455 |
| 1905 | 5 | #1,996 | 6 | #1,124 |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | 5 | #965 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cleon
- Cleon Extremist · -450–-422
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cleon mean?
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κλέων (Kléōn), from κλέω (kléō, “to recount, celebrate”).
How popular is the name Cleon in 2025?
Cleon ranked #9,900 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cleon?
3,189 babies have been named Cleon in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cleon most popular?
Cleon peaked in 1921, when 86 newborns received the name.
Is Cleon a boy or girl name?
Cleon is used for both: about 6% of babies named Cleon have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Cleon rising or falling?
Cleon is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cleon?
Well-known people named Cleon include Cleon (extremist).