US Popularity Rank: 11896

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Illustrious; Called forth; Invoked

Cletis is a boy’s name of Greek origin. It’s a shortened form of Anacletus, which means “illustrious, called forth, invoked” and was the name of the third pope. Cletis reached peak popularity in 1924, falling just short of entering the top 2,000 baby names, and remained relatively popular until the mid-1960s. Why not bring it back for your little one? Its impressive meaning and charming vintage feel make it an appealing choice. You may also opt to shorten it to Clete, the name of multiple famous baseball players, for a retro-sounding nickname.