Claus
From Dutch and German Claus, a contraction of Nicolaus (“Nicholas”).
Every Claus since 1880 — 366 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Claus
Claus is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 366 American babies have been named Claus. Its peak came in 1916, when 13 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Claus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Claus year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | 5 | #6,413 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | 9 | #2,822 |
| 1960 | 5 | #4,128 |
| 1955 | 8 | #3,009 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,343 |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,462 |
| 1920 | 5 | #4,413 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,472 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,003 |
| 1890 | 6 | #908 |
| 1885 | 5 | #964 |
| 1880 | 7 | #759 |
Famous people named Claus
- Claus von Stauffenberg Social activist · 1907–1944
- Claus Sluter Sculptor · 1340–1406
- Claus Jensen Soccer player · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Claus mean?
From Dutch and German Claus, a contraction of Nicolaus (“Nicholas”).
How popular is the name Claus in 2025?
Claus did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Claus?
366 babies have been named Claus in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Claus most popular?
Claus peaked in 1916, when 13 newborns received the name.
Is Claus a boy or girl name?
Claus is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Claus rising or falling?
Claus has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Claus?
Well-known people named Claus include Claus von Stauffenberg (social activist), Claus Sluter (sculptor), Claus Jensen (soccer player).