Clarence
Boy name · #1499 in 2025 · Very rare
Clarence ranks #1499 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 117 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1070, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,385 boys born in 2025 was named Clarence.
The 145-year story
Clarence first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 730 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 7,332 boys were named Clarence — good for #28 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Clarence per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Clarence against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Clarence in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Clarence is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Clarence will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Clarence is most common
State-level data for Clarence is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Clarence
Statistically, parents drawn to Clarence tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Maurice, Chester, Clifford, Wallace, and Claude.
MauriceChesterCliffordWallaceClaudeCecilCarmenJohnnie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Clarence | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 117 | #1499 |
| 2024 | 113 | #1551 |
| 2023 | 112 | #1558 |
| 2022 | 137 | #1366 |
| 2021 | 129 | #1419 |
| 2020 | 135 | #1325 |
| 2019 | 169 | #1152 |
| 2018 | 173 | #1119 |
| 2017 | 158 | #1182 |
| 2016 | 156 | #1208 |
| 2015 | 185 | #1070 |
| 2014 | 197 | #1028 |
| 2013 | 176 | #1065 |
| 2012 | 191 | #1023 |
| 2011 | 191 | #1010 |
| 2010 | 199 | #989 |
| 2009 | 193 | #1014 |
| 2008 | 218 | #932 |
| 2007 | 251 | #845 |
| 2006 | 249 | #816 |
| 2005 | 297 | #694 |
| 2004 | 250 | #744 |
| 2003 | 260 | #715 |
| 2002 | 262 | #693 |
| 2001 | 302 | #627 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Clarence a popular boy name?
Clarence ranked #1499 among boys in 2025 with 117 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1070.
When was the name Clarence most popular?
Clarence peaked in 1921, when 7,332 American boys received the name (ranked #28 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Clarence?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,385 newborn American boys was named Clarence. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.