Clive
Boy name · #2394 in 2025 · Very rare
Clive is currently the #2394 boy name in the United States — 57 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1815, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,579 boys born in 2025 was named Clive.
The 140-year story
Clive first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 85 boys were named Clive — good for #1788 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Clive per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Clive against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Clive in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Clive is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Clive will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Clive is most common
State-level data for Clive 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 Clive
Statistically, parents drawn to Clive tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Reeve, Chayce, Caine, Mace, and Zaine.
ReeveChayceCaineMaceZaineCruzeCacheLocke
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Clive | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | #2390 |
| 2024 | 74 | #2042 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2493 |
| 2021 | 69 | #2096 |
| 2020 | 55 | #2392 |
| 2019 | 64 | #2188 |
| 2018 | 82 | #1838 |
| 2017 | 67 | #2065 |
| 2016 | 85 | #1788 |
| 2015 | 82 | #1815 |
| 2014 | 77 | #1884 |
| 2013 | 56 | #2278 |
| 2012 | 67 | #2049 |
| 2011 | 53 | #2376 |
| 2010 | 57 | #2262 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2320 |
| 2008 | 49 | #2542 |
| 2007 | 45 | #2684 |
| 2006 | 38 | #2932 |
| 2005 | 21 | #4198 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 18 | #4426 |
| 2002 | 14 | #5131 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Clive a popular boy name?
Clive ranked #2394 among boys in 2025 with 57 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1815.
When was the name Clive most popular?
Clive peaked in 2016, when 85 American boys received the name (ranked #1788 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Clive?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,579 newborn American boys was named Clive. 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.