Clifford

Clifford - A very unique male name

Clifford appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #65. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Clifford and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Clifford? 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 Clifford. The baby boy name Clifford was given to 75 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1443 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 19,550 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Clifford peaked in popularity 109 years ago in 1917 on position 58.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Clifford, 1-5?

Clifford is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Clifford is currently topping the baby name charts in Iowa at position #593 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,943.

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 Clifford is where you live.

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Clifford origin and meaning

English, from a place name and surname

From an English place name meaning 'ford by a cliff' (Old English clif + ford)

Clifford began as a place name and surname and was a mainstream boy's name in the early 20th century, peaking in 1925. It has fallen steadily since, which now gives it a grandfatherly, vintage feel. The friendly short form Cliff kept it approachable throughout.

Attested etymology

Clifford is a 8 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Clifford

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

Claiborne / Calvert / Cleburne / Cleburn / Clayborn / Colbert / Clebert / Caliber / Clayburn /

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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 Clifford

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 Clifford 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 Clifford?

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.

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Pronunciation

KLIF-erd · /ˈklɪfərd/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Cliford — A rare misspelling, not an established variant.

Nicknames: Cliff

Famous bearers

• Clifford Brown — American jazz trumpeter, a major figure in hard bop (1930–1956) Historical
• Clifford Odets — American playwright, author of Waiting for Lefty and Awake and Sing! (1906–1963) Historical
• Clifford the Big Red Dog — Title character of Norman Bridwell's children's books and their adaptations (Fictional, 1963) Fictional

Style

ClassicSurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Clifford suits parents who like solid, early-20th-century names that have fallen out of fashion. Cliff keeps it from feeling stiff.

Worth knowing

• Many people now meet the name first as the big red dog.
• It peaked in 1925, so some will hear it as dated rather than vintage.