Clifford
Clifford is a boys' name of English origin meaning “ford near a cliff.” An English place-name transferred to a surname and then to a given name.
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how do you pronounce Clifford?
KLIF-erd
where does the name Clifford come from?
Clifford combines cliff and ford, for someone who lived at a ford near a steep bank or cliff. It began as an English surname taken from a place before it was adopted as a given name.
Clifford was popular in the early-to-mid 20th century and is now considered a vintage revival candidate.
how popular is this name?
Clifford has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 126 years since 1880. It peaked at #57 in 1909, and ranked #925 in 2005.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2005 | #925 |
| 2004 | #827 |
| 2003 | #936 |
| 2002 | #842 |
| 2001 | #730 |
| 2000 | #753 |
| 1999 | #620 |
| 1998 | #654 |
| 1997 | #573 |
| 1996 | #538 |
| 1990 | #346 |
| 1980 | #202 |
| 1970 | #176 |
| 1960 | #141 |
| 1950 | #100 |
| 1940 | #94 |
| 1930 | #73 |
| 1920 | #59 |
| 1910 | #66 |
| 1909 | #57 |
| 1900 | #66 |
| 1890 | #83 |
| 1880 | #107 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Clifford fell outside the top 1,000.
who are famous people named Clifford?
- Clifford Brown
- Clifford Odets
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (fictional)
what are the nicknames and variants of Clifford?
Nicknames
what names go well with Clifford?
Sibling names that share Clifford's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Clifford
What does the name Clifford mean?
Clifford means “ford near a cliff”.
What is the origin of the name Clifford?
Clifford comes from the English naming tradition.
How popular is the name Clifford?
Clifford ranked #925 in the US in 2005, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 1909, at #57, and it has spent 126 years in the top 1,000 since 1880.
Is Clifford a boy or girl name?
Clifford is primarily a boys' name.
How do you pronounce Clifford?
Clifford is pronounced KLIF-erd, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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