Clarence
Originally a ducal title of the English and British royal family, from Clārensis (“from the town of Clare”), (the town of Clare, Suffolk), although it has also been…
Every Clarence since 1880 — 305,423 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Clarence
Clarence is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,500 in 2025 with 117 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 305,423 American babies have been named Clarence. Its peak came in 1921, when 7,367 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Clarence stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Clarence year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 117 | #1,500 |
| 2024 | — | — | 113 | #1,552 |
| 2023 | — | — | 112 | #1,559 |
| 2022 | — | — | 137 | #1,366 |
| 2021 | — | — | 129 | #1,419 |
| 2020 | — | — | 135 | #1,327 |
| 2019 | — | — | 169 | #1,152 |
| 2018 | — | — | 173 | #1,119 |
| 2017 | — | — | 158 | #1,182 |
| 2016 | — | — | 156 | #1,211 |
| 2015 | — | — | 185 | #1,070 |
| 2014 | — | — | 197 | #1,028 |
| 2013 | — | — | 176 | #1,065 |
| 2012 | — | — | 191 | #1,023 |
| 2011 | — | — | 191 | #1,011 |
| 2010 | — | — | 199 | #989 |
| 2009 | — | — | 193 | #1,016 |
| 2008 | — | — | 218 | #932 |
| 2007 | — | — | 251 | #845 |
| 2006 | — | — | 249 | #817 |
| 2005 | — | — | 297 | #694 |
| 2004 | — | — | 250 | #745 |
| 2003 | — | — | 260 | #715 |
| 2002 | — | — | 262 | #693 |
| 2001 | — | — | 302 | #627 |
| 2000 | — | — | 310 | #614 |
| 1995 | — | — | 425 | #499 |
| 1990 | 5 | #13,409 | 618 | #375 |
| 1985 | 10 | #6,555 | 675 | #304 |
| 1980 | 9 | #6,895 | 859 | #257 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,606 | 909 | #225 |
| 1970 | 17 | #3,613 | 1,384 | #193 |
| 1965 | 14 | #3,426 | 1,802 | #166 |
| 1960 | 17 | #3,006 | 2,198 | #157 |
| 1955 | 17 | #2,744 | 3,017 | #117 |
| 1950 | 17 | #2,450 | 3,340 | #95 |
| 1945 | 23 | #1,756 | 3,196 | #82 |
| 1940 | 22 | #1,694 | 3,487 | #64 |
| 1935 | 18 | #1,856 | 4,080 | #48 |
| 1930 | 46 | #1,088 | 5,498 | #39 |
| 1925 | 43 | #1,179 | 6,670 | #30 |
| 1920 | 44 | #1,134 | 7,221 | #26 |
| 1915 | 26 | #1,411 | 6,267 | #24 |
| 1910 | 15 | #1,178 | 1,706 | #20 |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,440 | 1,377 | #17 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,180 | 1,483 | #18 |
| 1895 | 14 | #867 | 1,326 | #17 |
| 1890 | — | — | 1,018 | #17 |
| 1885 | — | — | 906 | #17 |
| 1880 | 7 | #687 | 730 | #22 |
Famous people named Clarence
- Clarence Seedorf Soccer player · b. 1976
- Clarence Brown Film director · 1890–1987
- Clarence Clemons Musician · 1942–2011
- Clarence Zener Physicist · 1905–1993
- Clarence Nash Actor · 1904–1985
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Clarence mean?
Originally a ducal title of the English and British royal family, from Clārensis (“from the town of Clare”), (the town of Clare, Suffolk), although it has also been associated with Italian Chiarenza, Clarentza, &c., a former…
How popular is the name Clarence in 2025?
Clarence ranked #1,500 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 117 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Clarence?
305,423 babies have been named Clarence in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Clarence most popular?
Clarence peaked in 1921, when 7,367 newborns received the name.
Is Clarence a boy or girl name?
Clarence is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Clarence rising or falling?
Clarence is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Clarence?
Well-known people named Clarence include Clarence Seedorf (soccer player), Clarence Brown (film director), Clarence Clemons (musician).