Clifton
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Clifton since 1880 — 70,685 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Clifton
Clifton is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,907 in 2025 with 82 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 70,685 American babies have been named Clifton. Its peak came in 1975, when 1,224 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Clifton stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Clifton 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 | — | — | 82 | #1,907 |
| 2024 | — | — | 95 | #1,738 |
| 2023 | — | — | 105 | #1,641 |
| 2022 | — | — | 78 | #1,969 |
| 2021 | — | — | 91 | #1,765 |
| 2020 | — | — | 112 | #1,506 |
| 2019 | — | — | 103 | #1,607 |
| 2018 | — | — | 102 | #1,608 |
| 2017 | — | — | 110 | #1,513 |
| 2016 | — | — | 90 | #1,726 |
| 2015 | — | — | 113 | #1,476 |
| 2014 | — | — | 119 | #1,416 |
| 2013 | — | — | 110 | #1,484 |
| 2012 | — | — | 130 | #1,317 |
| 2011 | — | — | 112 | #1,461 |
| 2010 | — | — | 107 | #1,519 |
| 2009 | — | — | 132 | #1,316 |
| 2008 | — | — | 131 | #1,325 |
| 2007 | — | — | 154 | #1,154 |
| 2006 | — | — | 146 | #1,154 |
| 2005 | — | — | 156 | #1,063 |
| 2004 | — | — | 159 | #1,029 |
| 2003 | — | — | 173 | #947 |
| 2002 | — | — | 163 | #970 |
| 2001 | — | — | 201 | #819 |
| 2000 | — | — | 232 | #739 |
| 1995 | — | — | 249 | #664 |
| 1990 | — | — | 440 | #473 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,718 | 643 | #317 |
| 1980 | — | — | 804 | #269 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,608 | 1,214 | #186 |
| 1970 | 13 | #4,272 | 672 | #301 |
| 1965 | — | — | 684 | #287 |
| 1960 | 5 | #6,520 | 873 | #270 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,319 | 982 | #227 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,024 | #201 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,727 | 722 | #199 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,266 | 643 | #202 |
| 1935 | — | — | 648 | #196 |
| 1930 | 5 | #4,678 | 755 | #184 |
| 1925 | — | — | 891 | #171 |
| 1920 | 11 | #2,942 | 910 | #157 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,502 | 820 | #144 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,194 | 178 | #168 |
| 1905 | — | — | 121 | #165 |
| 1900 | — | — | 107 | #190 |
| 1895 | — | — | 92 | #169 |
| 1890 | — | — | 57 | #219 |
| 1885 | — | — | 54 | #221 |
| 1880 | — | — | 38 | #273 |
Famous people named Clifton
- Clifton James Actor · 1920–2017
- Clifton Webb Actor · 1889–1966
- Clifton Williams Astronaut · 1932–1967
- Clifton Collins Jr. Actor · b. 1970
- Clifton Powell Actor · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Clifton mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Clifton in 2025?
Clifton ranked #1,907 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 82 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Clifton?
70,685 babies have been named Clifton in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Clifton most popular?
Clifton peaked in 1975, when 1,224 newborns received the name.
Is Clifton a boy or girl name?
Clifton is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Clifton rising or falling?
Clifton has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Clifton?
Well-known people named Clifton include Clifton James (actor), Clifton Webb (actor), Clifton Williams (astronaut).