Clifford
Boy name · #1352 in 2025 · Very rare
Clifford is currently the #1352 boy name in the United States — 139 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1239, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,950 boys born in 2025 was named Clifford.
The 145-year story
Clifford first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 127 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1925, when 3,424 boys were named Clifford — good for #59 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 Clifford per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Clifford against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Clifford in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Clifford is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Clifford will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Clifford is most common
State-level data for Clifford 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 Clifford
Statistically, parents drawn to Clifford tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Bernard, Clarence, Howard, Chester, and Leonard.
BernardClarenceHowardChesterLeonardArnoldCarmenHarold
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Clifford | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 139 | #1352 |
| 2024 | 143 | #1341 |
| 2023 | 125 | #1449 |
| 2022 | 152 | #1269 |
| 2021 | 150 | #1267 |
| 2020 | 133 | #1343 |
| 2019 | 153 | #1234 |
| 2018 | 144 | #1276 |
| 2017 | 160 | #1170 |
| 2016 | 138 | #1310 |
| 2015 | 147 | #1239 |
| 2014 | 119 | #1414 |
| 2013 | 138 | #1261 |
| 2012 | 138 | #1273 |
| 2011 | 135 | #1271 |
| 2010 | 143 | #1232 |
| 2009 | 144 | #1241 |
| 2008 | 163 | #1119 |
| 2007 | 181 | #1038 |
| 2006 | 168 | #1067 |
| 2005 | 190 | #925 |
| 2004 | 215 | #827 |
| 2003 | 175 | #936 |
| 2002 | 197 | #842 |
| 2001 | 238 | #730 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Clifford a popular boy name?
Clifford ranked #1352 among boys in 2025 with 139 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1239.
When was the name Clifford most popular?
Clifford peaked in 1925, when 3,424 American boys received the name (ranked #59 that year). Since 1925 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Clifford?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,950 newborn American boys was named Clifford. 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.