Total births
139,344
Boys' name · since 1880
Clayton
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 139,344 babies named Clayton, peaking in 2000. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #318
- among boys today
- 139,344
- born since 1880
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Clayton is the #318 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 139,344 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clayton has been recorded 139,344 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #318 nationally and more common than 98% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. 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.
- #318 among boys today
- 139,344 born since 1880
- 1990s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Clayton is currently the #318 boys' name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 139,344 born since 1880, peaking in the 1990s.
- #318
- among boys today
- 139,344
- born since 1880
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Clayton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#318
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Clayton was born in this single decade.
2000
Single peak year
2,564 babies were named Clayton in 2000 - its busiest year on record.
How Clayton compares
139,344 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Clayton's all-time total is 380x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Clayton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 139,344 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 2,564 | 23 | 22,252 |
Clayton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Clayton splits its recorded history at 1953: 75% of all births land in the more recent half, 25% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1881 (52 births) -- compare that against the 2000 peak of 2,564 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Clayton at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2000
Current rank
#318
Active since
1880
Clayton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2000)
- 2,564
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Clayton popularity over time - girls
610 total births recorded since 1910 (Clayton as girls' name)
Clayton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Clayton's strongest decade.
21,816 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Clayton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 653
1880s
653 births
- 1890s 752
1890s
752 births
- 1900s 1,057
1900s
1,057 births
- 1910s 5,641
1910s
5,641 births
- 1920s
1920s
9,414 births
- 1930s 7,171
1930s
7,171 births
- 1940s 7,059
1940s
7,059 births
- 1950s
1950s
9,309 births
- 1960s
1960s
9,296 births
- 1970s
1970s
10,750 births
- 1980s
1980s
16,933 births
- 1990s
1990s
21,816 births
- 2000s
2000s
18,672 births
- 2010s
2010s
13,932 births
- 2020s 6,889
2020s
6,889 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 21,816 births (16% of all-time use).
How Clayton 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 Clayton's total volume
Clayton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Clayton by state
Where Clayton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 12,488 | 9.0% |
| #2 | California | | 8,813 | 6.3% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 6,423 | 4.6% |
| #4 | Florida | | 5,721 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 5,379 | 3.9% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 5,227 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 4,892 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 4,729 | 3.4% |
Texas share of Clayton's total US births 9.0%
Even split
12,488 of 139,344 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Clayton appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clayton? ▼
Clayton has been given to 139,344 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #318 as of the latest data. 2,564 babies were born in 2000, its single highest year.
When was Clayton most popular? ▼
Clayton was most popular in the 1990s decade with 21,816 total births. The single peak year was 2000.
Where is Clayton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Clayton are Texas (12,488 births), California (8,813 births), Ohio (6,423 births).
How long has the name Clayton been used? ▼
Records for Clayton go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Clayton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Clarence, Claude, Clark, Clay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Clayton's data
- Clayton's decade-level peak was the 1990s (21,816 total births); usage has since declined to 6,889 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Claytons (12,488 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Clayton
Nearby Names Like Clayton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clayton
Clarence Boy
#1551 303,564 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 Clayton side by side: Clayton vs Clarence Clayton vs Claude Clayton vs Clark
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Clayton
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. "Clayton: #318 Boys' Name - 139,344 Births, Peak 2000." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clayton. 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 Clayton 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.