Clifton

Did you know?

A few things about Clifton you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Clifton

Clifton Webb

American actor, singer and dancer (1889–1966)

Choose Clifton and your child shares a first name with Clifton Webb, an American actor, singer and dancer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Clifton, like who?” Clifton Webb's Wikipedia article is available in 40 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Clifton Webb on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 20,833 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Clifton, 82 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Clifton would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryClifton has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Cliftons, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1915, when it ranked #144. Today it's #1,906, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📉Then vs nowClifton was 2.5× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 8,467 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 20,833.
• 🍂TrendClifton has slipped 403 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,906. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
• 📍Where it's lovedClifton is most popular in Louisiana, where it ranks #775, followed by Virginia (#798) and North Carolina (#873). It's in the top 1,000 in 3 states.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Clifton means “town by the cliff”.

About the name Clifton

Clifton is a boy name of English origin meaning “town by the cliff”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-ton”. US birth records list Clifton for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1915, when it ranked #144 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,906, with 82 babies.

Origin:English names