Clayton

Clayton - A very unique male name

Clayton appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #186. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Clayton and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Clayton? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Clayton. The baby boy name Clayton was given to 1,106 baby boys in 2025, ranking #302 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,326 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Clayton peaked in popularity 38 years ago in 1988 on position 146.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Clayton, 1-5?

Clayton is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Clayton is currently topping the baby name charts in West Virginia at position #102 - and is the least popular in New Jersey at position #940.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Clayton is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Clayton origin and meaning

English — transferred surname and place name

From the place name 'settlement on clay' — Old English claeg (clay) + tun (farm, settlement)

Clayton is one of many English clay-soil place names turned surname turned first name. It was a steady US name through the 20th century, peaked around 2000, and has drifted down to #302. Its built-in short form, Clay, is currently fashionable on its own, which keeps the longer form in circulation.

Attested etymology

Clayton is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Clayton, pop culture references for the name Clayton and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Clayton

We've found the following names that sound similar to Clayton, sorted by popularity.

Colton / Colten / Coleton / Coltin / Coltyn / Colden / Coltan / Celedonio / Coalton / Calton /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Clayton

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Clayton a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Clayton?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

KLAY-tun · /ˈkleɪtən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Clay

Famous bearers

• Clayton Kershaw — American baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers (b. 1988) Contemporary
• Clayton Moore — American actor who played the Lone Ranger on television (1914–1999) Historical

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Clayton is a solid, outdoorsy surname name whose best feature may be Clay as a ready-made short form.

Worth knowing

• It reads slightly dated next to the standalone Clay, which is the trendier form right now.