Dog name guide

Cletus

The meaning, background and naming story of Cletus.

Letters
6
Starts with
C

Meaning and background

The story behind Cletus

Cletus has more than one documented name relationship. It can shorten Anacletus, including the name used for an early pope, and it can function as an anglicized form of Kleitos. These routes should be identified before borrowing a meaning from a longer name. Its English reading has two syllables and begins with the sound klee. As a dog's full name, Cletus preserves the historical shortened form itself; an owner does not need to expand it to Anacletus unless that is the intended connection.

Origin
Short form of Anacletus; also used as an anglicized form of Kleitos. Source

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About Cletus

Recorded as a dog’s name

Cletus appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Sources and research notes (1)
  • New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.

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