Clifton

Clifton - A very unique male name

Clifton appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #172. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Clifton and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Clifton? 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 Clifton. The baby boy name Clifton was given to 40 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1863 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 36,657 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Clifton peaked in popularity 114 years ago in 1912 on position 147.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Clifton, 1-5?

Clifton is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Clifton is currently topping the baby name charts in Louisiana at position #800 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,540.

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 Clifton is where you live.

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Clifton origin and meaning

English — place name and surname

'Settlement by a cliff' — from Old English clif, 'cliff,' and tun, 'town'

Clifton is one of many English place names built on 'cliff-town,' carried as a surname and then a given name. US use peaked in 1975 and continues to fall.

Attested etymology

Clifton is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Clifton

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

Cliffton /

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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 Clifton

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 Clifton 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 Clifton?

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-ton · /ˈklɪftən/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Cliff — Short form used as a name in its own right

Nicknames: Cliff

Famous bearers

• Clifton Powell — American character actor known for Ray and Friday After Next (b. 1956) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

A dignified place-surname with the friendly short form Cliff waiting inside it.