UK boy's name
Claudius
A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "lame".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Claudius is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Claudius popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4678, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2010 to 2010. 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.
Claudius is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Claudius. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Claudius ranked #4678 for boys in England and Wales in 2010, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 3 boys were registered as Claudius.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Claudius as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4678
2010
Births in 2010
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Claudius mean?
The name Claudius is a Roman family name that originated from the Latin word "claudere", meaning "to close" or "to limp". It is believed to have been derived from an ancestor who had a physical disability or a limp. The name first appeared in ancient Roman history during the 3rd century BC.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Claudius is from the ancient Roman historian Livy, who mentioned a Claudius Pulcher in his work "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Founding of the City). The name gained prominence during the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius (10 BC - 54 AD), who was the fourth emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
In ancient Roman literature, the name Claudius appears in various works, including those of Pliny the Elder, Tacitus, and Suetonius. The name was also mentioned in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Acts, where a Roman governor named Claudius Lysias is featured.
Over the course of history, several notable individuals have borne the name Claudius. One of the most famous was the Roman emperor Claudius (10 BC - 54 AD), who ruled from 41 AD to 54 AD and oversaw the conquest of Britain. Another prominent figure was the Roman poet Claudius Claudianus (c. 370 - c. 408 AD), known for his works in Latin.
In the Middle Ages, the name Claudius was used by several religious figures, including Saint Claudius (c. 602 - 695), a bishop of Besançon, and Pope Claudius I (c. 795 - 827), who served as the head of the Catholic Church from 815 to 827 AD. During the Renaissance period, the name was associated with the Italian painter and architect Claudius Parmigiano (1504 - 1540).
Other notable individuals with the name Claudius include the French mathematician and philosopher Claudius Ptolemaeus (c. 90 - c. 168 AD), the German philosopher Claudius Galen (c. 129 - c. 199 AD), and the English poet Claudius Tiberius Nero (37 AD - 68 AD).
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Claudius by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Claudius 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 | #4678 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Claudius
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Claudius: questions and answers
How popular is the name Claudius in the UK right now?
In 2010, Claudius was ranked #4678 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Claudius most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 3 babies registered as Claudius in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Claudius?
A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "lame".
How many people are called Claudius in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Claudius across the 1 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.