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Name Lineage

    The first name Clemens

    A boy’s name meaning “merciful”.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Clemens means “merciful”.

    From Late Latin Clēmēns (genitive Clēmentis), name of early saints and popes, from clēmēns (“merciful”). Doublet of Clement and San Clemente.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Clemens at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2024, 9 boys born in the United States were named Clemens, the 8,447th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 66 were.

    03570 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,641
    babies named Clemens since 1880
    #8,447
    rank in 2024
    1918
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Clemens

    42 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Clemens Fritz
      German footballer, born 1980
    • Clemens August von Galen
      German count, Bishop of Münster, and cardinal, important figure in Catholic resistance to , 1878–1946
    • Clemens Krauss
      Austrian conductor and opera impresario (1893 - 1954)
    • Clemens Winkler
      German chemist (1838-1904)
    • Clemens von Pirquet
      Austrian physician (1874-1929)
    • Clemens August of Bavaria
      Catholic archbishop (1700-1761)
    • Joseph Clemens of Bavaria
      Duke, Roman Catholic archbishop (1671-1723)
    • Clemens Westerhof
      Dutch football manager, born 1940
    • Clemens Schick
      German actor, born 1972
    • Clemens Holzmeister
      Austrian architect and stage designer (1886–1983)
    • Clemens von Ketteler
      German diplomat (1853-1900)
    • Clemens J. Setz
      Austrian writer and translator, born 1982

    Questions

    What does the name Clemens mean?
    Clemens means “merciful”.
    Is Clemens a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,641 US babies named Clemens since 1880 were boys.
    When was Clemens most popular?
    1918 in the United States, when 66 babies were named Clemens, its highest rank at 805th.
    Is Clemens also a surname?
    Yes. Clemens is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.