Clive

English

"lives near a high cliff"

Clive Origin and Meaning

The name Clive is a boy's name of English origin meaning "lives near a high cliff".

Clive used to be stereotyped as a clipped British name in a pith helmet and pencil-thin moustache, as in English military hero Clive of India--but this image has been turned on its ear by hunky Clive Owen.

William Makepeace Thackeray did a lot to launch this as a first name via his novel The Newcomes with Clive Newcombe being the hero--most likely inspired by the exploits of General Robert Clive, essentially the founder of British India.

Two other notable modern day Clives are writers Barker and Cussler.

Clive Popularity

790Nameberry2021
861Unique2018

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Lists containing Clive

Famous People Named Clive

Clive OwenEnglish actor
Clive Staples "C.S." LewisNorthern Irish novelist
Clive William John GrangerWelsh economist and Nobel Prize winner
Clive Eric CusslerAmerican novelist
Clive BarkerEnglish novelist
Clive DavisAmerican record producer and executive
(Arthur) Clive Heward BellEnglish art critic
Clive Ronald Burrdrummer of English band Iron Maiden
Clive RushAmerican NFL football coach
Clive Robert Benjamin DunnEnglish actor
Clive James StandenEnglish actor

Clive John "Benji" WebbeBritish singer of bands Skindred and Dub War
Robert Clive1st Baron Clive aka Clive of India, British officer, founder of the East India Company
Clive SwiftEnglish actor & songwriter
Clive HornbyEnglish actor and musician

Clive in Pop Culture

Clive Newcombecharacter in William Thackeray's "The Newcombes"
Clive O'Briancharacter in the video game Resident Evil: Revelations
Clive Yorkincharacter on TV's "The Flash"
Clive Babineauxcharacter on Tv show "iZombie"
Clive Dovecharacter in the game "Professor Layton and the Lost Future"
CliveInvisible friend of Garfield the cat in some Garfield strips