A FIELD REPORT ON THE NAME
Clifton
creased · deliberate · buttoned
Origin & Meaning
AI-WrittenDerived from an Old English habitational surname meaning settlement near a cliff. It crossed into given name use in Britain before settling into steady American circulation throughout the late nineteenth century. In the United States, it maintained an uninterrupted run across the entire span of federal record-keeping.
Also answers toCliff, Clif
Fig. 1 — Births per annum, 1880–2025
SSA Data 1880 peak: 1,224 souls, A.D. 1975 2025
2025: 82 born, falling ↘
Estimated Age
55 yrs
Most Cliftons were born around 1975 — has dialed a rotary phone in earnest.
Peak Reign
1975
№186 that year
Generation
Boomer, 33%
then Gen X 29% · Millennial 20%
Rarity
Top 2000 all-time
≈71K ever born · now falling
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Estimates from SSA birth records and standard survival rates. Immigration and name changes not counted.
Clifton grew up with
SSA DataSaturday-morning cartoons·the Rubik's Cube·roller rinks
Data vs. Humans
What the data says
SSA Data
SSA: Clifton peaked in 1975.
Estimated average age: 55.
What people think
Opinion LedgerAwaiting human data — cast the first votes.
Clifton sounds like someone born in —
Fig. 2 — Style Coordinates
AI Seed · Votes Override at n=30 Vintage Modern
Formal Casual
Soft Strong
Cast your vote No account · one tap
In your mind, Clifton sounds more like a —
Voting opens when the ledger goes live. No account. 24h cooldown per question.
Public Opinion Ledger
Ledger Opens Soon
The public has not yet weighed in on Clifton. Early ballots carry the most weight.
* Early ballots — fewer than 30 cast so far. The ledger settles at 30.
First Impressions
AI-WrittenA Clifton sounds like someone who keeps a legible maintenance log in the glove compartment. The name reached its high-water mark in the mid-1970s, giving its typical bearer a solid Gen X or late-Boomer footing. It carries a certain rural or small-town gravity without sounding folksy. Today, encountering a five-year-old Clifton usually means a grandfather was involved in the decision.
Field Notes
AI-WrittenField Note 01
The name reached its single-year peak in 1975, when about one thousand American boys received it.
Field Note 02
With an average age of 55, the majority of living Cliftons were born between the mid-1950s and the late 1970s.
Field Note 03
Annual usage has drifted downward since the late twentieth century, with fewer than ninety births recorded in recent tallies.
Notable Cliftons
AI-WrittenClifton Webbstage and film actor, b. 1889
Clifton Chenierzydeco accordionist and singer, b. 1925
Clifton Davisactor and songwriter, b. 1945
Clifton Collins Jr.character actor, b. 1970
Ephemera — If Clifton were a…
AI-WrittenCity
Roanoke
Color
Muted Ochre
Job
County surveyor
And what of your name?