Kleiner

Kleiner is a German term with multiple uses. In everyday language it is the inflected form of the adjective klein, meaning small, and is commonly used to express “smaller” or “the smaller” in comparisons or in phrases with definite or indefinite articles. When capitalized as part of a name, Kleiner functions as a surname or a proper noun. The word also appears in various compound names and cultural references across German-speaking regions.

As a surname: Kleiner is a German-origin surname that may have arisen as a nickname for a smaller or younger person, or as a habitational or topographic name connected to a place associated with smallness. The name is found among German-speaking populations and within Ashkenazi Jewish communities with Germanic roots, sometimes with variations in spelling.

In business and culture: A prominent use of the surname in contemporary times is in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which includes the surname Kleiner in its name, drawn from Eugene Kleiner. The firm has played a significant role in funding technology startups and Silicon Valley development.