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Cleavon

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Cleavon

Pronounced KLEE-vun /ˈkliː.vɒn/Medium

Meaning: Cleavon is an opaque twentieth-century American given name, most plausibly an elaboration of Cleve or Cleveland (from an Old English place-name meaning 'cliff' or 'hilly land') with an -on ending. Its exact origin is uncertain and its use was concentrated in African-American families of the era.Low

In 30 seconds: Cleavon is a rare mid-century American name, likely spun from Cleve or Cleveland, forever linked to actor Cleavon Little (said 'KLEE-vun').

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningCleavon is an opaque twentieth-century American given name, most plausibly an elaboration of Cleve or Cleveland (from an Old English place-name meaning 'cliff' or 'hilly land') with an -on ending. Its exact origin is uncertain and its use was concentrated in African-American families of the era.

U.S. rank (2007)#12700 ↘ Falling

2007 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1973

Total births (all-time)≈ 241

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Cleavon is a genuine puzzle — an American coinage of the early-to-mid twentieth century with no single settled etymology. The most likely thread runs through Cleve and Cleveland, English place-names meaning 'cliff' or 'land of cliffs', reshaped with an -on ending into a distinctive first name.

It was never common, appearing quietly from the nineteen-twenties and cresting around 1973 — the era of its most famous bearer — before fading to rarity. A Cleavon today is most likely a man of the baby-boom generation, and the name remains firmly of its time rather than part of any revival.

Did you know? The name is inseparable from Cleavon Little, who played Sheriff Bart in the 1974 comedy Blazing Saddles; his fame marks the very years the name saw its modest peak.

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Cleavon — possible Cleve/Cleveland origin; bearer Cleavon Little

Variations

CleavondCleveon

Nicknames

CleveClee

Famous Bearers

★Cleavon Little (1939–1992)
American actor best known as Sheriff Bart in the film Blazing Saddles and a Tony Award winner on Broadway.

If you like Cleavon…

Cleveland— the likely parent place-name behind it

Cleve— the short form and probable root

Cletus— another vintage Cle- masculine name

Carleton— another English name

Carmon— shares Cleavon's English roots

Explore names like Cleavon

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cleavon mean?

Cleavon is an uncertain American coinage, most likely built from Cleve or Cleveland, an English place-name meaning 'cliff' or 'hilly land'.

How do you pronounce Cleavon?

It's said KLEE-vun /ˈkliː.vɒn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cleavon a boy or girl name?

Cleavon is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Cleavon?

Cleavon has always been rare in the U.S., a mid-century name most associated with the actor Cleavon Little.