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Home › Baby Names Directory › Claudius

Claudius

♂ Boy

Pronounced KLAW-dee-us /ˈklɔː.di.əs/Medium

Meaning: From the Latin Claudius, a great Roman family name generally traced to claudus, 'lame.' Borne by the Roman emperor Claudius, and the villain-king in Shakespeare's Hamlet, noted neutrally. A classical name.Low

In 30 seconds: A classical Roman name: Claudius traces to 'lame' (said 'KLAW-dee-us'). Stately and historic.
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Origin MediumLatin
MeaningFrom the Latin Claudius, a great Roman family name generally traced to claudus, 'lame.' Borne by the Roman emperor Claudius, and the villain-king in Shakespeare's Hamlet, noted neutrally. A classical name.
U.S. rank (2019)#12518 ↘ Falling
2019 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1916
Total births (all-time)≈ 922

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191618902019

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Claudius is the Latin family name generally traced to claudus, 'lame.' It was borne by the Roman emperor Claudius and by the villain-king in Shakespeare's Hamlet, which we note neutrally. Stately and rare in the U.S. (said 'KLAW-dee-us').

In the U.S. it appears only rarely. Rare, classical, and stately.

Did you know? Claudius is a great Roman family name, generally traced to the Latin claudus, 'lame' — borne by the emperor Claudius and, in fiction, the villain-king of Hamlet, noted neutrally; stately and historic (said 'KLAW-dee-us').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Claudius — Latin Claudius; 'lame'; emperor Claudius / Hamlet, noted neutrally

Variations

ClaudioClaudeKlaudius

Nicknames

ClaudDio

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Claudius…

Claudio— the Italian/Spanish form
Cassius— a like Roman -us name
Augustus— a like imperial Roman name
Tiberius— a like classical Roman pick

Explore names like Claudius

By themelatinclassicalromanhistoric

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Claudius mean?

Claudius is a Roman family name generally traced to the Latin claudus, 'lame'; it was borne by the emperor Claudius and the Hamlet character.

How do you pronounce Claudius?

It's said KLAW-dee-us /ˈklɔː.di.əs/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Claudius a boy or girl name?

Claudius is a boy's name.

How popular is Claudius?

Claudius is rare in the U.S.

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