Claus, of German origin, is derived from the Latin word 'calvus', meaning 'bald'. It was originally a nickname given to someone with a bald head. The name became popularized through its use as the first name of Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas in some countries. This usage likely stems from the Dutch name Sinterklaas, which was brought over to America by Dutch settlers and eventually evolved into the figure we know today.
The name Claus experienced fluctuating popularity throughout the late 19th to mid-20th century, with peaks in the early 1920s and late 1950s. It was most popular during the years 1916 and 1959, each having 13 and 11 births respectively. However, there were also periods of decline, such as from 1941 to 1952 with only one or two births per year. The total number of Claus births over this period is 366.