Klaus
A male given name from Ancient Greek, an alternative spelling of Claus.
Every Klaus since 1953 — 1,471 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Klaus
Klaus is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,245 in 2025 with 63 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1953, 1,471 American babies have been named Klaus. Its peak came in 2022, when 84 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Klaus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Klaus year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 63 | #2,245 |
| 2024 | 58 | #2,407 |
| 2023 | 65 | #2,207 |
| 2022 | 84 | #1,880 |
| 2021 | 77 | #1,948 |
| 2020 | 59 | #2,309 |
| 2019 | 69 | #2,101 |
| 2018 | 43 | #2,824 |
| 2017 | 54 | #2,405 |
| 2016 | 26 | #4,052 |
| 2015 | 39 | #3,002 |
| 2014 | 26 | #3,968 |
| 2013 | 28 | #3,710 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8,564 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6,829 |
| 2010 | 18 | #5,155 |
| 2009 | 16 | #5,712 |
| 2008 | 12 | #7,006 |
| 2007 | 14 | #6,122 |
| 2006 | 16 | #5,440 |
| 2005 | 10 | #7,432 |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | 10 | #7,019 |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | 18 | #4,395 |
| 2000 | 18 | #4,309 |
| 1995 | 6 | #8,399 |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,210 |
| 1985 | 12 | #3,706 |
| 1980 | 16 | #2,900 |
| 1975 | 7 | #4,574 |
| 1970 | 16 | #2,359 |
| 1965 | 27 | #1,496 |
| 1960 | 21 | #1,795 |
| 1955 | 6 | #3,705 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Klaus
- Klaus Kinski Actor · 1926–1991
- Klaus Barbie Military personnel · 1913–1991
- Klaus Mann Writer · 1906–1949
- Klaus Iohannis Politician · b. 1959
- Klaus Ebner Writer · b. 1964
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Klaus mean?
A male given name from Ancient Greek, an alternative spelling of Claus.
How popular is the name Klaus in 2025?
Klaus ranked #2,245 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 63 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Klaus?
1,471 babies have been named Klaus in the United States since 1953, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Klaus most popular?
Klaus peaked in 2022, when 84 newborns received the name.
Is Klaus a boy or girl name?
Klaus is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Klaus rising or falling?
Klaus is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Klaus?
Well-known people named Klaus include Klaus Kinski (actor), Klaus Barbie (military personnel), Klaus Mann (writer).