Total births
3,910
Unisex name · since 1880
Clarke
Clarke has 3,910 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1947 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3337
- among boys today
- 3,910
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
3,910 babies have been named Clarke since 1880, making it today's #3337 unisex name.
Clarke has 3,910 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3337 as of the latest data, more common than 77% of boys, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #3337 among boys today
- 3,910 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 77% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Clarke is currently the #3337 unisex name in America, more common than 77% of boys - 3,910 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #3337
- among boys today
- 3,910
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 77%
- more common than other boys
Clarke vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#3337
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 77% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Clarke was born in this single decade.
1947
Single peak year
61 babies were named Clarke in 1947 - its busiest year on record.
How Clarke compares
3,910 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
Clarke's all-time total is 11x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Clarke | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,910 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 61 | 23 | 22,252 |
Clarke's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Clarke's SSA record in two at 1964 and the more recent half accounts for 47% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 53%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1947 peak of 61, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Clarke at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1947
Current rank
#3,337
Active since
1880
Clarke popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1947)
- 61
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Clarke popularity over time - girls
1,688 total births recorded since 1991 (Clarke as girls' name)
Clarke by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Clarke's strongest decade.
491 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Clarke births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 16
1880s
16 births
- 1890s 11
1890s
11 births
- 1900s 26
1900s
26 births
- 1910s
1910s
206 births
- 1920s
1920s
315 births
- 1930s
1930s
356 births
- 1940s
1940s
439 births
- 1950s
1950s
491 births
- 1960s
1960s
417 births
- 1970s
1970s
232 births
- 1980s
1980s
288 births
- 1990s
1990s
306 births
- 2000s
2000s
212 births
- 2010s
2010s
375 births
- 2020s
2020s
220 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 491 births (13% of all-time use).
How Clarke 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 Clarke's total volume
Clarke vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Clarke by state
Where Clarke concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 153 | 3.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 77 | 2.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 36 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 30 | 0.8% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 17 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 15 | 0.4% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 12 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 10 | 0.3% |
California share of Clarke's total US births 3.9%
Even split
153 of 3,910 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 13 reporting states.
Clarke appears in 13 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clarke? ▼
Clarke has been given to 3,910 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #3337 as of the latest data. 61 babies were born in 1947, its single highest year.
When was Clarke most popular? ▼
Clarke was most popular in the 1950s decade with 491 total births. The single peak year was 1947.
Where is Clarke most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Clarke are California (153 births), New York (77 births), Texas (36 births).
Is Clarke a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Clarke is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,910 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,688 births.
How long has the name Clarke been used? ▼
Clarke has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Clarke? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Clarence, Clayton, Claude, Clark, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Clarke's data
- Clarke's usage has stayed within range of its 1950s decade-level peak (491 total births) through the 2020s (220) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Clarkes (153 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Clarke
Nearby Names Like Clarke
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clarke
Clarence Boy
#1551 303,564 births
Clayton Boy
#318 139,344 births
Claude Boy
#3335 91,337 births
Clark Boy
#437 50,851 births
Clay Boy
#544 40,252 births
Compare Clarke side by side: Clarke vs Clarence Clarke vs Clayton Clarke vs Claude
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Clarke
Gustav #3336
4,267 births · Peak 1917
Bartholomew #3338
4,271 births · Peak 1969
Claude #3335
91,337 births · Peak 1920
Sheppard #3339
716 births · Peak 2025
Riyansh #3334
461 births · Peak 2017
Reno #3340
4,160 births · Peak 1996
Zubayr #3333
297 births · Peak 2025
Berkley #3341
2,202 births · Peak 2013
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. "Clarke: #3337 Unisex Name - 3,910 Births, Peak 1947." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clarke. 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 Clarke 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.