Cliff: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,895

among boys · ↑108 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Cliff · +5% vs 2024

How common

1 in 39,723

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1959

310 babies

All-time total

9,307

#1,264 all-time among boys

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Cliff popularity over time

9,307 babies have been named Cliff since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	132	13	–	#358
1890s	157	16	+19%	#428
1900s	194	19	+24%	#434
1910s	357	36	+84%	#659
1920s	404	40	+13%	#996
1930s	545	55	+35%	#709
1940s	910	91	+67%	#572
1950s	1,567	157	+72%	#456
1960s	1,976	198	+26%	#478
1970s	1,061	106	-46%	#653
1980s	1,082	108	+2%	#714
1990s	323	32	-70%	#1,570
2000s	173	17	-46%	#3,088
2010s	194	19	+12%	#4,026
2020s (to 2025)	232	39	+99%	#2,667

Where Cliff is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	46	0.03	outside top 500
2027	50	0.03	outside top 500
2028	52	0.03	outside top 500
2029	55	0.03	outside top 500
2030	57	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Cliff

Cliff is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,895 in 2025 with 43 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 9,307 American babies have been named Cliff. Its peak came in 1959, when 310 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

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 Cliff stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Cliff?

The median living Cliff is about 58 years old; half are between 43 and 66. An estimated 6,300 people named Cliff are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Cliff year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	43	#2,895
2024	41	#3,003
2023	39	#3,130
2022	33	#3,477
2021	29	#3,755
2020	47	#2,667
2019	26	#4,026
2018	21	#4,631
2017	24	#4,246
2016	19	#4,983
2015	17	#5,338
2014	20	#4,731
2013	14	#5,981
2012	13	#6,383
2011	21	#4,532
2010	19	#4,873
2009	12	#6,880
2008	16	#5,534
2007	20	#4,671
2006	18	#4,897
2005	17	#4,863
2004	14	#5,546
2003	15	#5,078
2002	14	#5,180
2001	19	#4,153
2000	28	#3,088
1995	24	#2,934
1990	53	#1,570
1985	109	#868
1980	143	#734
1975	80	#918
1970	157	#653
1965	174	#579
1960	251	#497
1955	148	#610
1950	94	#706
1945	97	#613
1940	72	#718
1935	59	#805
1930	45	#1,023
1925	37	#1,167
1920	43	#1,077
1915	58	#794
1910	20	#659
1905	23	#466
1900	17	#605
1895	21	#428
1890	15	#493
1885	14	#504
1880	7	#760

Famous people named Cliff

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Cliff Richard British singer and actor (born 1940) Contemporary
2 Cliff Curtis New Zealand actor (born 1968) Contemporary
3 Cliff Robertson American actor (1923–2011) Contemporary
4 Cliff Martinez American musician and composer b. 1954 · Contemporary
5 Cliff DeYoung American actor b. 1945 · Contemporary
6 Cliff Thorburn Canadian snooker player (born 1948) Contemporary
7 Cliff Edwards American musician and actor (1895–1971) 19th century
8 Cliff Jones Welsh footballer (born 1935) Contemporary
9 Cliff Bastin English footballer (1912–1991) Contemporary
10 Cliff Allison British racing driver (1932–2005) Contemporary
11 Cliff Barker American basketball player (1921–1998) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Cliff, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Cliff?

The median living Cliff is about 58 years old. Half of all living Cliffs are between 43 and 66 years old.

How many people named Cliff are alive today?

An estimated 6,300 people named Cliff are alive in the United States, based on 9,307 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Cliff mean?

The given name is from shortenings of the diminutives.

How popular is the name Cliff in 2025?

Cliff ranked #2,895 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 43 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Cliff?

9,307 babies have been named Cliff in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Cliff most popular?

Cliff peaked in 1959, when 310 newborns received the name.

Is Cliff a boy or girl name?

Cliff is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Cliff rising or falling?

Cliff is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Cliff become more popular?

Cliff is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 57 boys named Cliff in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Cliff?

Well-known people named Cliff include Cliff Richard (musician), Cliff Curtis (actor), Cliff Robertson (actor).

Names like Cliff

Names that sound and feel close to Cliff: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Cliff with similar names → More names starting with C →