Clifford Boy

Popularity: #782 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationKLIF-erd / /ˈklɪf.ərd/

English

Meaning

Cliffside; ford by a cliff

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Clifford has Old English roots, derived from 'clif' meaning cliff and 'ford' meaning river crossing. It was originally used as a surname before becoming popular as a first name. The name gained popularity in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Trend Summary

Clifford has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, with a notable peak in the mid-20th century.

Similar Names

Variants

  • Cliff
  • Cliffie

International Variants

Famous people named Clifford

Clifford Brown was an influential American jazz trumpeter known for his virtuosic playing and compositions.

Clifford Geertz was a prominent American anthropologist recognized for his work in cultural anthropology.

Clifford Odets was an American playwright and screenwriter known for his works during the 1930s.

Clifford B. Hicks was an American author best known for his children's book series featuring the character 'The Little Engine That Could.'.

Fictional characters named Clifford

Clifford the Big Red Dog is the main character in the children's book series created by Norman Bridwell, known for his enormous size and friendly nature.

Clifford is a character in the animated television series 'Clifford's Puppy Days,' where he is portrayed as a young puppy learning about friendship.

Sibling Suggestions

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Clifford was first seen in the United States in 1880. Clifford has ranked as high as #140 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois. In the past 5 years the name Clifford has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Clifford (2024)

StateBirthsShare
CA 14
17%
TX 10
12%
WI 8
10%
NY 7
8%
OH 6
7%
FL 6
7%
GA 6
7%
IL 6
7%
MO 6
7%
AR 5
6%
SC 5
6%
MN 5
6%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
1880127
1881110
1882155
1883138
1884150
1885139
1886172
1887165
1888194
1889202
1890207
1891196
1892240
1893269
1894307
1895272
1896311
1897285
1898317
1899297
1900409
1901282
1902326
1903348
1904361
1905420
1906413
1907445
1908515
1909536
1910551
1911694
19121,345
19131,520
19141,960
19152,741
19162,767
19172,969
19183,299
19193,040
19203,291
19213,262
19223,157
19233,106
19243,250
19253,424
19263,190
19273,031
19282,862
19292,669
19302,697
19312,451
19322,286
19332,158
19342,315
19352,265
19362,132
19372,230
19382,276
19392,291
19402,185
19412,363
19422,533
19432,666
19442,394
19452,384
19462,616
19472,990
19482,793
19492,898
19502,941
19513,160
19523,317
19533,157
19543,141
19552,995
19562,911
19572,893
19582,810
19592,536
19602,463
19612,341
19622,183
19632,198
19642,019
19651,821
19661,611
19671,513
19681,608
19691,506
19701,582
19711,382
19721,268
19731,175
19741,149
19751,124
19761,065
1977972
19781,002
19791,045
19801,214
19811,178
19821,141
1983974
1984997
1985894
1986866
1987754
1988764
1989774
1990700
1991584
1992538
1993475
1994402
1995357
1996356
1997323
1998267
1999293
2000224
2001238
2002197
2003175
2004215
2005190
2006168
2007181
2008163
2009144
2010143
2011135
2012138
2013138
2014119
2015147
2016138
2017160
2018144
2019153
2020133
2021150
2022152
2023124
2024142