Clifford
About Clifford
Clifford is beginning to overcome a slightly stodgy intellectual image and showing signs of possible revival. Kids might or might not like the association with the big red dog. In England, the Clifford family was a powerful family in the Middle Ages. In this country, it was well used for most of the twentieth century, peaking at Number 57 in 1909, but a Top 100 name through 1950. Most prominent American bearers: playwright Clifford Odets and jazz trumpet great Clifford Brown.
As of October 2026, Clifford ranked #1352 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #57 in 1909.
Editor's take: The name Clifford is a boy's name of English origin meaning "lives near the ford by the cliff".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,414 | 119 | 62 |
| 2015 | #1,239 | 147 | 76.7 |
| 2016 | #1,309 | 138 | 72.7 |
| 2017 | #1,171 | 160 | 86.4 |
| 2018 | #1,275 | 144 | 79.3 |
| 2019 | #1,235 | 153 | 85.3 |
| 2020 | #1,344 | 133 | 77.1 |
| 2021 | #1,269 | 150 | 85.7 |
| 2022 | #1,269 | 152 | 87.1 |
| 2023 | #1,457 | 124 | 72.5 |
| 2024 | #1,340 | 142 | 82.4 |
| 2025 | #1,352 | 139 | 81.4 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Clifford.
- Guy
- Arnold
- Barney
- Phinneas
- Howard
- Norman
- Ned
- Seymour
- Lowell
- Herbert
- Abe
- Roger
- Homer
- Bertie
- Gordon
- Harold
- Wallace
- Walt
- Stanley
- Hal
Clifford on lists
Famous Cliffords
- Clifford Joseph Harris aka T.I.
American rapper
- Clifford Smith aka Method Man
American rapper
- Clifford Ian Simpson
aka Kevin Abstract, American rapper
- Clifford Odets
American playwright
- Clifford Ball
American aviator
- Clifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III
American actor
- Clifford Alan Pickover
American science author
- Clifford S. Chapin IV
American actor and animator
- Clifford James Geertz
American anthropologist
- Clifford Bundy "Cliff" Stearns
Sr., U.S. Congressman from Florida
- Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton
American former bass guitarist for Metallica
- Clifford Edward Berry
American inventor
- Clifford Michael Irving
American Author
- Clifford Glenwood Shull
American physicist; winner of the Nobel Prize
- Clifford Tobin "Cliff" DeYoung
American actor and musician
- (Clifford) Porter Hall
American actor
- Clifford Lee "Cliff" Burton
American bass guitarist for Metallica
- Clifford Charles "Cliff" Arquette
American actor
- Clifford John "Cliff" Bole
American TV director
- Clifford Vivian Devon "Cliff" Curtis
New Zealand actor
- Arthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore
English TV presenter
- Clifford Allen "Cliff" Harris
American NFL player
- Clifford Olin
son of American actors Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig
Clifford in pop culture
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
children's book and TV character
- Clifford Montgomery
character on Canadian parody soap "Le coeur a ses raisons"
- Clifford "Cliff" Clavin
character on TV's "Cheers'
- Clifford "Cliff" Blossom
character in Archie Comics Universe
- Clifford "Cliff" Steele
also known as Robotman, character in DC Universe
- Clifford Daniels
main character played by Martin Short in the 1994 black comedy film "Clifford"