Clyde Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KLYD //klaɪd//
Origin: Scottish; English
Meaning: Scottish: from the river Clyde; English: a name of uncertain origin
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Clyde has its roots in the Scottish Gaelic word "cluaidh," which means "river" or "riverbank." This etymology is linked to the River Clyde, a significant waterway in Scotland that flows through the city of Glasgow. The name Clyde entered the English language through the influence of Scottish culture and geography, particularly during the Middle Ages when the river was an important trade route and a focal point for settlement and industry in the region.
Historically, the name Clyde has been associated with various notable figures and events. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was used to denote the river itself.
The River Clyde was mentioned in various historical texts, including those documenting the life and reign of Scottish monarchs. In the 19th century, the river became central to the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, further embedding the name Clyde in the cultural and historical narrative of the region.
Culturally, the name Clyde carries connotations of strength and resilience, reflective of the river's significance in Scottish history. It has been embraced in various forms of literature and art, often symbolizing the natural beauty and industrial heritage of Scotland.
The name has also been used in various contexts, such as Clydebank, a town named after the river, which became a hub for shipbuilding and industry. Additionally, the diminutive form "Clydie" has been used informally, though it is less common in historical texts.
Overall, the name Clyde encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic, historical, and cultural significance.
Famous people named Clyde
In this section, you will find notable people named Clyde. 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 Clyde who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Clyde 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.
Clyde Drexler is a former professional basketball player best known for his time with the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team.
Clyde Barrow was a criminal best known for being part of the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde during the Great Depression.
Fictional characters named Clyde
The following list of fictional characters named Clyde is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Clyde is a fictional character from the animated television series The Amazing World of Gumball. He is a close friend of the main character, Gumball Watterson, and is known for his goofy personality and loyalty to his friends.
Clyde McBride is a fictional character from the animated television series The Loud House. He is a supportive friend of Lincoln Loud and often participates in various adventures with him and his family.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Clyde, 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 Clyde. 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 Clyde was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Clyde has ranked as high as #159 nationally, which occurred in 1920, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.
In the past 5 years the name Clyde has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Clyde 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 Clyde was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Clyde (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 |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 34 | |
| TX | 34 | |
| NY | 19 | |
| NC | 17 | |
| PA | 14 | |
| TN | 14 | |
| UT | 14 | |
| MO | 13 | |
| WA | 12 | |
| MI | 12 | |
| OK | 10 | |
| WI | 10 | |
| GA | 10 | |
| IN | 9 | |
| OH | 9 |
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 Clyde.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 359 |
| 2023 | 367 |
| 2022 | 393 |
| 2021 | 352 |
| 2020 | 347 |
| 2019 | 299 |
| 2018 | 328 |
| 2017 | 349 |
| 2016 | 298 |
| 2015 | 288 |
| 2014 | 285 |
| 2013 | 196 |
| 2012 | 158 |
| 2011 | 153 |
| 2010 | 137 |
| 2009 | 140 |
| 2008 | 143 |
| 2007 | 141 |
| 2006 | 129 |
| 2005 | 125 |
| 2004 | 137 |
| 2003 | 116 |
| 2002 | 112 |
| 2001 | 117 |
| 2000 | 144 |
| 1999 | 123 |
| 1998 | 154 |
| 1997 | 136 |
| 1996 | 133 |
| 1995 | 168 |
| 1994 | 152 |
| 1993 | 184 |
| 1992 | 199 |
| 1991 | 187 |
| 1990 | 250 |
| 1989 | 235 |
| 1988 | 223 |
| 1987 | 215 |
| 1986 | 241 |
| 1985 | 277 |
| 1984 | 291 |
| 1983 | 289 |
| 1982 | 309 |
| 1981 | 346 |
| 1980 | 386 |
| 1979 | 340 |
| 1978 | 353 |
| 1977 | 367 |
| 1976 | 386 |
| 1975 | 399 |
| 1974 | 416 |
| 1973 | 492 |
| 1972 | 487 |
| 1971 | 520 |
| 1970 | 621 |
| 1969 | 607 |
| 1968 | 626 |
| 1967 | 640 |
| 1966 | 666 |
| 1965 | 769 |
| 1964 | 891 |
| 1963 | 1,007 |
| 1962 | 1,138 |
| 1961 | 1,354 |
| 1960 | 1,372 |
| 1959 | 1,467 |
| 1958 | 1,554 |
| 1957 | 1,744 |
| 1956 | 1,715 |
| 1955 | 1,742 |
| 1954 | 1,777 |
| 1953 | 1,855 |
| 1952 | 2,014 |
| 1951 | 2,054 |
| 1950 | 1,985 |
| 1949 | 2,084 |
| 1948 | 2,073 |
| 1947 | 2,263 |
| 1946 | 2,065 |
| 1945 | 1,858 |
| 1944 | 2,081 |
| 1943 | 2,195 |
| 1942 | 2,205 |
| 1941 | 1,872 |
| 1940 | 2,014 |
| 1939 | 1,959 |
| 1938 | 2,130 |
| 1937 | 2,105 |
| 1936 | 2,153 |
| 1935 | 2,355 |
| 1934 | 2,323 |
| 1933 | 2,141 |
| 1932 | 2,319 |
| 1931 | 2,336 |
| 1930 | 2,631 |
| 1929 | 2,628 |
| 1928 | 2,714 |
| 1927 | 2,879 |
| 1926 | 2,873 |
| 1925 | 2,906 |
| 1924 | 3,006 |
| 1923 | 2,853 |
| 1922 | 3,007 |
| 1921 | 3,022 |
| 1920 | 3,069 |
| 1919 | 2,884 |
| 1918 | 2,917 |
| 1917 | 2,719 |
| 1916 | 2,707 |
| 1915 | 2,518 |
| 1914 | 1,954 |
| 1913 | 1,537 |
| 1912 | 1,314 |
| 1911 | 697 |
| 1910 | 617 |
| 1909 | 516 |
| 1908 | 511 |
| 1907 | 507 |
| 1906 | 457 |
| 1905 | 474 |
| 1904 | 457 |
| 1903 | 413 |
| 1902 | 382 |
| 1901 | 356 |
| 1900 | 451 |
| 1899 | 330 |
| 1898 | 383 |
| 1897 | 359 |
| 1896 | 372 |
| 1895 | 370 |
| 1894 | 386 |
| 1893 | 391 |
| 1892 | 390 |
| 1891 | 327 |
| 1890 | 317 |
| 1889 | 318 |
| 1888 | 344 |
| 1887 | 320 |
| 1886 | 307 |
| 1885 | 318 |
| 1884 | 345 |
| 1883 | 336 |
| 1882 | 293 |
| 1881 | 232 |
| 1880 | 221 |