Cletis as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Cletis

What is the meaning of the name Cletis ?

The baby name Cletis is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced KLEE-tis (IPA: /ˈkliːtɪs/).

Cletis is Greek in Origin.

Cletis is a chiefly American variant of Cletus, from Latin Cletus and ultimately from Greek kletos, meaning "called, summoned; chosen," derived from the verb kalein "to call". The name entered Christian use through Saint Cletus, often treated as identical with Anacletus, the first-century bishop of Rome. That saintly association kept the name on church calendars and in occasional baptismal use across medieval and early modern Europe, though it was never widespread.

In the United States, the spelling Cletis appears in records from the late 19th century and saw modest popularity between the 1910s and 1950s, particularly in the South and Midwest; it is rare today and carries a vintage, homespun tone. Related forms and variants include Cletus and Kletus; the short form Clete; Romance Cleto and Anacleto (from Anacletus); and feminine counterparts Cleta and Anacleta. The core meaning remains "one who is called" or "chosen".

⚙ Nothing for Cletis shows up in the birth registries or name datasets we track. Names like this are usually very rare, tied to a particular region or tradition, or freshly invented. Whichever it is, scarcely anyone else carries it.