Total births
303,564
Boys' name · since 1880
Clarence
303,564 babies named Clarence in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 1921. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1551
- among boys today
- 303,564
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Clarence currently ranks #1551 among boys' names in America, with 303,564 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clarence has been recorded 303,564 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1551 nationally and more common than 89% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1551 among boys today
- 303,564 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 89% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Clarence is currently the #1551 boys' name in America, more common than 89% of boys - 303,564 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1551
- among boys today
- 303,564
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 89%
- more common than other boys
Clarence vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1551
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 89% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Clarence was born in this single decade.
1921
Single peak year
7,332 babies were named Clarence in 1921 - its busiest year on record.
How Clarence compares
303,564 Top 1% higher than 99% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Clarence's all-time total is 827x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Clarence | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 303,564 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 7,332 | 23 | 22,252 |
Clarence's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Clarence's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 21% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 79%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2023, with only 112 births recorded -- set against the 1921 peak of 7,332, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Clarence at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1921
Current rank
#1,551
Active since
1880
Clarence popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1921)
- 7,332
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Clarence popularity over time - girls
1,859 total births recorded since 1880 (Clarence as girls' name)
Clarence by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Clarence's strongest decade.
66,574 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Clarence births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 8,760
1880s
8,760 births
- 1890s 11,901
1890s
11,901 births
- 1900s 13,573
1900s
13,573 births
- 1910s
1910s
49,196 births
- 1920s
1920s
66,574 births
- 1930s
1930s
42,676 births
- 1940s
1940s
36,197 births
- 1950s
1950s
29,488 births
- 1960s 17,500
1960s
17,500 births
- 1970s 10,667
1970s
10,667 births
- 1980s 7,364
1980s
7,364 births
- 1990s 4,538
1990s
4,538 births
- 2000s 2,592
2000s
2,592 births
- 2010s 1,795
2010s
1,795 births
- 2020s 743
2020s
743 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 66,574 births (22% of all-time use).
How Clarence compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Clarence's total volume
Clarence vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Clarence by state
Where Clarence concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 15,102 | 5.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 14,956 | 4.9% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 13,475 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 13,321 | 4.4% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 12,872 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 11,567 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Louisiana | | 10,984 | 3.6% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 10,712 | 3.5% |
Pennsylvania share of Clarence's total US births 5.0%
Even split
15,102 of 303,564 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Clarence appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clarence? ▼
Clarence has been given to 303,564 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1551 as of the latest data. 7,332 babies were born in 1921, its single highest year.
When was Clarence most popular? ▼
Clarence was most popular in the 1920s decade with 66,574 total births. The single peak year was 1921.
Where is Clarence most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Clarence are Pennsylvania (15,102 births), Texas (14,956 births), Ohio (13,475 births).
How long has the name Clarence been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Clarence since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Clarence? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Clayton, Claude, Clark, Clay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Clarence's data
- Clarence's decade-level peak was the 1920s (66,574 total births); usage has since declined to 743 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Pennsylvania records the most Clarences (15,102 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Clarence
Nearby Names Like Clarence
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clarence
Clayton Boy
#318 139,344 births
Claude Boy
#3335 91,337 births
Clark Boy
#437 50,851 births
Clay Boy
#544 40,252 births
Clair Boy
12,041 births
Compare Clarence side by side: Clarence vs Clayton Clarence vs Claude Clarence vs Clark
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Clarence
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Clarence: #1551 Boys' Name - 303,564 Births, Peak 1921." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clarence. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Clarence draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.