Cletus

Cletus is a masculine first name that is derived from the Greek name Kleitos in its Latin form. The meaning of the name includes 'the famous' as well as 'the notorious' and has its origins in Ancient Greek.

What does the name Cletus mean?

The first name Cletus comes from Latin and is a variant of the Greek Kleitos. Its meaning includes the terms 'famous' and 'notorious' and traces back to the Ancient Greek word kléō ‎(κλέω) or kleitós ‎(κλειτός), which means 'famous', 'magnificent', or 'excellent'. In Greek mythology, there are several bearers of this name, including Kleitos the Black (Κλεῖτος ὁ μέλας), a Macedonian general who lived between 375 and 328 BC. He saved Alexander the Great's life in the Battle of Granicus but was later killed by him in a dispute. Kleitos was the son of Dropides and the brother of Alexander's nurse Lanike. Cletus is particularly common in English-speaking countries, with variants such as Clitus, Cletis, Cleitus, Cletis (English), Cleithos (French), and Clito (Italian) also existing. Additionally, Cletus is associated with the name Anakletos or Anacletus, which can be interpreted as 'the repeater' or 'the called one'.

Where does the name Cletus come from?

The first name Cletus has its roots in Ancient Greek and means 'the famous' or 'the notorious'. The Ancient Greek word kleitós means 'famous', 'magnificent', and 'excellent'. Cletus is predominantly used in English.

How do you pronounce Cletus?

The pronunciation of the name Cletus is two syllables and features a firm, compact sound structure. It is pronounced as 'Cle-tus' [ˈkleːtʊs], with the first syllable starting with a long, clear vowel that transitions directly into a concise second syllable. The final '-tus' provides a distinctive, slightly hard sound ending. Overall, Cletus conveys a powerful and determined impression - compact, clear, and with a rustic sound note.

When is the name day of Cletus?

April 26

Popularity

In Germany, Cletus is considered a rather rare first name. It has not found a place in the German name popularity charts so far. In Switzerland, the name reached its highest rank in 1963, coming in at 951 in the name charts. Between 1930 and 2024, Cletus was given less than 10 times in Switzerland, placing it at 3,737. In the last ten years, no child has received this name.

Famous people

• Cletus Andersson (Swedish water polo player)
• Cletus Clark (hurdler from America)
• Cletus Dixon (baseball player)
• Cletus Nelson (Swedish writer)
• Cletus Paul (footballer from India)
• Cletus Promise James (Nigerian footballer)
• Cletus Seldin (American boxer)
• Cletus Spuckler (hillbilly character from The Simpsons)