Claude is a unisex given name of French origin, meaning "lame" or "limping". It was popularized by several notable figures throughout history, including Claude Monet, the founder of French Impressionism painting, and Claude Debussy, a famous composer known for works such as "Clair de Lune". In France, it has been traditionally used more often for males, while in other English-speaking countries like Britain and America, it has seen use for both boys and girls. The name gained prominence internationally through figures like Claude Rains, the British-American actor known for his roles in films like "The Invisible Man" and "Casablanca".
The name Claude experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. Between 1880 and 1946, there were several periods of higher birth counts, notably from 1897 to 1902 with peaks like 19 births in 1918, but it also had stretches of lower counts, such as in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After 1946, there was a notable decline until the late 1970s when it started to pick up slightly again. Overall, from 1880 to 1993, there were a total of 952 births with this name.