Clifford: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “ford by a cliff”
- Origin
- Old English
- Say it
- KLIF-erd · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Boys
From an English surname and place name derived from Old English clif and ford. It later became established as a given name.
How popular is Clifford?
Babies named Clifford in 2024142
2024 rank#1,340 boys
Peak year1918
Total US babies since 1880190,128
Clifford is steady now but far below its 1918 peak.
Names like Clifford
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Clifford questions
What does the name Clifford mean?
Clifford means "ford by a cliff". It comes from Old English. From an English surname and place name derived from Old English clif and ford. It later became established as a given name.
Is Clifford a boy or girl name?
Clifford is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Clifford?
142 US babies were named Clifford in 2024. Its peak year was 1918.
How do you pronounce Clifford?
Clifford is usually pronounced KLIF-erd.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.