The first name Clinton
A boy’s name from English meaning “town on a hill”, “settlement on the river glyme”, “enclosure”.
Pronounced /ˈklɪn.tn̩/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Clinton means “town on a hill”, “settlement on the river glyme”, “enclosure” in English.
* (English habitational surname): A habitational surname, derived from places named Glinton ("town on a hill") or Glympton ("settlement on the River Glyme"), from Old English [Term?] + tun (“enclosure, homestead, town”), equivalent to the modern -ton. * (given name): Derived from the surnames. * (DeWitt County): Named after DeWitt Clinton.
More names that mean mountain.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Clinton last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 19 births (#784).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Clinton with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Clinton at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 94 boys born in the United States were named Clinton, the 1,732nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1981, when 2,206 were.
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.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Clinton
Famous people named Clinton
22 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Clinton DavissonAmerican physicist (1881-1958)
- Clinton NjieCameroonian professional footballer, born 1993
- Clinton Hart MerriamAmerican zoologist and ornithologist (1855-1942)
- Clinton MataAngolan association football player, born 1992
- Clinton MorrisonAssociation football player, born 1979
- Clinton HillAustralian sprinter, born 1980
- Clinton AndersonAmerican politician (1895–1975)
- Clinton SundbergAmerican actor (1903-1987)
- Clinton PortisAmerican football player, running back, born 1981
- Clinton ClausonAmerican politician and chiropractor (1895–1959)
- Clinton WheelerAmerican basketball player (1959–2019)
- Clinton RossiterAmerican political scientist (1917–1970)
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Clinton mean?
- Clinton means “town on a hill”, “settlement on the river glyme”, “enclosure” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Clinton?
- * (English habitational surname): A habitational surname, derived from places named Glinton ("town on a hill") or Glympton ("settlement on the River Glyme"), from Old English [Term?] + tun (“enclosure, homestead, town”), equivalent to the modern -ton. * (given name): Derived from the surnames. *…
- How popular is the name Clinton?
- In 2024, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Clinton, ranking 5,119th. Its peak was 1996, with 19 births.
- What are nicknames for Clinton?
- Common nicknames for Clinton include Clint.
- Is Clinton a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 98,005 US babies named Clinton since 1880 were boys.
- When was Clinton most popular?
- 1981 in the United States, when 2,206 babies were named Clinton, its highest rank at 124th.
- How do you pronounce Clinton?
- Clinton is /ˈklɪn.tn̩/, 2 syllables.
- Is Clinton also a surname?
- Yes. Clinton is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.