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    The first name Clifton

    A boy’s name meaning “town by a cliff.”, “cliff”, “town”.

    Pronounced /ˈklɪftən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Clifton means “town by a cliff.”, “cliff”, “town”.

    *Literally meaning "town by a cliff." From Old English clif (“cliff”) + tūn (“town”). Analyzable as cliff + -ton. *In Oregon County, Missouri, from Cliff + -ton. From being named after a Cliff, or which may be clipped to Clif.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Clifton last appeared in the official list in 2020, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1997, with 4 births (#2,337).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    7
    babies named Clifton, 1996–2025
    #4,608
    rank in 2020
    1997
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Clifton with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Clifton at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 82 boys born in the United States were named Clifton, the 1,907th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1975, when 1,214 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    70,685
    babies named Clifton since 1880
    #1,907
    rank in 2025
    1975
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Clifton in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    克利夫頓 /克利夫顿
    Kèlìfūdùn
    Chinese
    Clochán
    Irish

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Clifton

    Other spellings and forms

    • Cliffton

    Famous people named Clifton

    23 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Clifton Webb
      American actor, singer and dancer (1889–1966)
    • Clifton Collins
      American actor, born 1970
    • Clifton Williams
      American astronaut (1932–1967)
    • Clifton James
      American actor (1920-2017)
    • Clifton Powell
      American actor and comedian, born 1956
    • Clifton Davis
      American actor, musician and minister, born 1945
    • Henry Clifton Sorby
      British scientist, founder of microscopical petrology and metallography (1826–1908)
    • Clifton Chenier
      American zydeco accordion player and singer (1925–1987)
    • Clifton Fadiman
      American author, editor, and radio and TV personality (1904–1999)
    • Clifton McNeely
      American basketball player-coach (1919-2003)
    • Clifton Cushman
      American hurdler (1938–1966)
    • Clifton Young
      Actor (1917-1951)

    Questions

    What does the name Clifton mean?
    Clifton means “town by a cliff.”, “cliff”, “town”.
    How popular is the name Clifton?
    In 2020, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Clifton, ranking 4,608th. Its peak was 1997, with 4 births.
    What are nicknames for Clifton?
    Common nicknames for Clifton include Cliff, Clif.
    Is Clifton a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 70,685 US babies named Clifton since 1880 were boys.
    When was Clifton most popular?
    1975 in the United States, when 1,214 babies were named Clifton, its highest rank at 186th.
    How do you pronounce Clifton?
    Clifton is /ˈklɪftən/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Clifton?
    Cliffton.
    Is Clifton also a surname?
    Yes. Clifton is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.