Clive
A male given name transferred from the surname, popular in Britain in the mid-twentieth century.
Every Clive since 1885 — 3,336 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Clive
Clive is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,398 in 2025 with 57 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 3,336 American babies have been named Clive. Its peak came in 2016, when 85 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Clive stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Clive year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | #2,398 |
| 2024 | 74 | #2,045 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2,484 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2,497 |
| 2021 | 69 | #2,097 |
| 2020 | 55 | #2,398 |
| 2019 | 64 | #2,190 |
| 2018 | 82 | #1,840 |
| 2017 | 67 | #2,069 |
| 2016 | 85 | #1,791 |
| 2015 | 82 | #1,817 |
| 2014 | 77 | #1,890 |
| 2013 | 56 | #2,286 |
| 2012 | 67 | #2,051 |
| 2011 | 53 | #2,382 |
| 2010 | 57 | #2,265 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2,324 |
| 2008 | 49 | #2,552 |
| 2007 | 45 | #2,692 |
| 2006 | 38 | #2,943 |
| 2005 | 21 | #4,219 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4,290 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4,453 |
| 2002 | 14 | #5,181 |
| 2001 | 9 | #7,024 |
| 2000 | 19 | #4,084 |
| 1995 | 19 | #3,451 |
| 1990 | 27 | #2,502 |
| 1985 | 13 | #3,441 |
| 1980 | 11 | #3,659 |
| 1975 | 12 | #3,106 |
| 1970 | 10 | #3,105 |
| 1965 | 8 | #3,022 |
| 1960 | 19 | #1,868 |
| 1955 | 26 | #1,511 |
| 1950 | 19 | #1,707 |
| 1945 | 23 | #1,384 |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,583 |
| 1935 | 41 | #996 |
| 1930 | 50 | #960 |
| 1925 | 27 | #1,428 |
| 1920 | 26 | #1,464 |
| 1915 | 34 | #1,106 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,222 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,355 |
| 1895 | 7 | #894 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #966 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Clive
- Clive Cussler Writer · 1931–2020
- Clive Owen Actor · b. 1964
- Clive Granger Economist · 1934–2009
- Clive Barker Writer · b. 1952
- Clive Burr Musician · 1957–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Clive mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname, popular in Britain in the mid-twentieth century.
How popular is the name Clive in 2025?
Clive ranked #2,398 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 57 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Clive?
3,336 babies have been named Clive in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Clive most popular?
Clive peaked in 2016, when 85 newborns received the name.
Is Clive a boy or girl name?
Clive is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Clive rising or falling?
Clive has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Clive?
Well-known people named Clive include Clive Cussler (writer), Clive Owen (actor), Clive Granger (economist).