UK girl's name
Claudette
A feminine name of French origin meaning "small lame one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Claudette is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Claudette popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 5 births.
This profile covers 24 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1996 to 2016. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 24 living people in the UK are called Claudette. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Claudette ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2016, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 5 girls were registered as Claudette.
- • About 24 living people in the UK are estimated to have Claudette as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2016
Births in 2016
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
5 births
Estimated living
24
2026
Meaning
What does Claudette mean?
The name Claudette derives from the Roman family name Claudius, which itself originated from the Latin word claudus, meaning "lame" or "crippled." The name gained prominence during the Roman imperial period, with several notable figures bearing the name.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Claudette can be found in the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, a French noblewoman named Claudette de Rethel was recorded as the wife of Raoul I, Count of Soissons. This early mention suggests that the name was already in use as a feminine form of Claudius.
During the Renaissance, the name Claudette gained popularity in France and other parts of Europe. A notable figure from this period was Claudette Labé, a 16th-century French Renaissance poet and feminist writer. Born in Lyon in 1520, she is considered one of the first modern female poets to explore themes of female sexuality and desire in her works.
In the 17th century, Claudette Bouret, a French actress and dancer, graced the stage of the Comédie-Française in Paris. She was renowned for her performances in comedic roles and is mentioned in several contemporary accounts of the Parisian theater scene.
The 19th century saw the name Claudette gain popularity in the United States, with several notable figures bearing the name. Claudette Colbert, an American actress born in 1905, was a leading lady in Hollywood's Golden Age. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the 1934 film "It Happened One Night."
Another famous Claudette from the 20th century was Claudette Colvin, an African American pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1955, at the age of 15, she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, predating the famous act of defiance by Rosa Parks later that year.
The name Claudette has a rich history, spanning various cultures and time periods. From its Roman origins to its Renaissance revival and its adoption in the modern era, the name has been borne by notable figures in literature, theater, film, and social activism, adding to its cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Claudette over time
The chart below shows babies named Claudette registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Claudette, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2016, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Claudette by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Claudette was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5746 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3247 | 4 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2882 | 14 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Claudette
- Chloe 111,265
- Charlotte 88,733
- Caitlin 28,931
- Courtney 23,162
- Chelsea 13,049
- Clara 9,435
- Connie 8,402
- Catherine 8,376
- Charlie 7,964
- Cerys 7,506
- Casey 7,018
- Cara 6,375
FAQ
Claudette: questions and answers
How popular is the name Claudette in the UK right now?
In 2016, Claudette was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Claudette most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 5 babies registered as Claudette in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Claudette?
A feminine name of French origin meaning "small lame one".
How many people are called Claudette in the UK?
A total of 24 babies have been registered as Claudette across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.