Clifton Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KLIF-tun //ˈklɪf.tən//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: Old English: settlement by a cliff
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Clifton has its origins in Old English, derived from the elements "clif," meaning "cliff," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This etymological background suggests that the name originally referred to a settlement located near a cliff or elevated area. The name entered the English language through the Anglo-Saxon period, becoming more established as a surname before transitioning into use as a given name in later centuries.
Historically, Clifton has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the regions of Yorkshire and Somerset, where the name is linked to specific villages and estates. The name gained prominence in the Middle Ages, with records of individuals bearing the surname appearing in documents from the 12th century onwards.
Notably, the name Clifton is also connected to the Clifton family, a notable English family with roots tracing back to the medieval period, which contributed to its recognition in historical texts. Culturally, the name Clifton has resonated within English-speaking communities, often evoking imagery of natural landscapes due to its literal meaning.
The name has been used in literature and various artistic expressions, symbolizing strength and stability, akin to the cliffs from which it derives its meaning. While diminutive forms such as Cliff may arise informally, Clifton itself has maintained a distinct identity throughout its history, reflecting both geographical and familial significance.
Famous people named Clifton
In this section, you will find notable people named Clifton. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Clifton who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Clifton who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Clifton Collins Jr. is an actor best known for Capote, Pacific Rim, and Westworld.
Clifton Chenier is a musician best known for Zydeco music and his album Zydeco Music.
Clifton Fadiman is an author and radio personality best known for The New Yorker and his literary anthologies.
Clifton R. Wharton Jr. is an academic and businessman best known for serving as the Chancellor of the State University of New York and as the first African American president of Michigan State University.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Clifton, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Clifton. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Clifton was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Clifton has ranked as high as #374 nationally, which occurred in 1975, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia, and Texas.
In the past 5 years the name Clifton has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Clifton is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Clifton was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Clifton (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 9 | |
| FL | 7 | |
| NC | 6 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Clifton.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 94 |
| 2023 | 105 |
| 2022 | 78 |
| 2021 | 91 |
| 2020 | 112 |
| 2019 | 103 |
| 2018 | 102 |
| 2017 | 110 |
| 2016 | 90 |
| 2015 | 112 |
| 2014 | 119 |
| 2013 | 110 |
| 2012 | 130 |
| 2011 | 112 |
| 2010 | 107 |
| 2009 | 132 |
| 2008 | 131 |
| 2007 | 154 |
| 2006 | 146 |
| 2005 | 156 |
| 2004 | 159 |
| 2003 | 173 |
| 2002 | 163 |
| 2001 | 201 |
| 2000 | 232 |
| 1999 | 215 |
| 1998 | 240 |
| 1997 | 221 |
| 1996 | 232 |
| 1995 | 249 |
| 1994 | 267 |
| 1993 | 311 |
| 1992 | 355 |
| 1991 | 411 |
| 1990 | 440 |
| 1989 | 506 |
| 1988 | 518 |
| 1987 | 552 |
| 1986 | 609 |
| 1985 | 643 |
| 1984 | 644 |
| 1983 | 609 |
| 1982 | 718 |
| 1981 | 788 |
| 1980 | 804 |
| 1979 | 782 |
| 1978 | 863 |
| 1977 | 828 |
| 1976 | 871 |
| 1975 | 1,214 |
| 1974 | 753 |
| 1973 | 556 |
| 1972 | 623 |
| 1971 | 643 |
| 1970 | 672 |
| 1969 | 665 |
| 1968 | 683 |
| 1967 | 665 |
| 1966 | 696 |
| 1965 | 685 |
| 1964 | 836 |
| 1963 | 789 |
| 1962 | 855 |
| 1961 | 868 |
| 1960 | 873 |
| 1959 | 926 |
| 1958 | 999 |
| 1957 | 1,057 |
| 1956 | 998 |
| 1955 | 982 |
| 1954 | 1,038 |
| 1953 | 960 |
| 1952 | 942 |
| 1951 | 955 |
| 1950 | 1,024 |
| 1949 | 982 |
| 1948 | 944 |
| 1947 | 965 |
| 1946 | 802 |
| 1945 | 722 |
| 1944 | 765 |
| 1943 | 857 |
| 1942 | 793 |
| 1941 | 675 |
| 1940 | 643 |
| 1939 | 662 |
| 1938 | 648 |
| 1937 | 669 |
| 1936 | 640 |
| 1935 | 648 |
| 1934 | 666 |
| 1933 | 733 |
| 1932 | 739 |
| 1931 | 697 |
| 1930 | 755 |
| 1929 | 781 |
| 1928 | 781 |
| 1927 | 919 |
| 1926 | 884 |
| 1925 | 891 |
| 1924 | 847 |
| 1923 | 900 |
| 1922 | 887 |
| 1921 | 932 |
| 1920 | 910 |
| 1919 | 885 |
| 1918 | 934 |
| 1917 | 794 |
| 1916 | 770 |
| 1915 | 820 |
| 1914 | 616 |
| 1913 | 497 |
| 1912 | 404 |
| 1911 | 206 |
| 1910 | 178 |
| 1909 | 157 |
| 1908 | 143 |
| 1907 | 126 |
| 1906 | 105 |
| 1905 | 121 |
| 1904 | 115 |
| 1903 | 110 |
| 1902 | 112 |
| 1901 | 101 |
| 1900 | 107 |
| 1899 | 94 |
| 1898 | 83 |
| 1897 | 78 |
| 1896 | 95 |
| 1895 | 92 |
| 1894 | 93 |
| 1893 | 75 |
| 1892 | 68 |
| 1891 | 80 |
| 1890 | 57 |
| 1889 | 59 |
| 1888 | 64 |
| 1887 | 43 |
| 1886 | 42 |
| 1885 | 54 |
| 1884 | 40 |
| 1883 | 26 |
| 1882 | 51 |
| 1881 | 39 |
| 1880 | 38 |