Boys' name · since 1897

Clearence

Clearence has 1,427 recorded births since 1897 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1927 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

#4,091 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,427
born since 1897
1920s
peak decade

Clearence is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 1,427 have been recorded since 1897.

Clearence has 1,427 recorded births among boys since 1897, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1897 to 1986.

  • #4,091 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 1,427 born since 1897
  • 1920s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clearence ranks #4,091 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,427 born since 1897, peaking in the 1920s.

#4,091 of 45,481
all-time among boys
1,427
born since 1897
1920s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Clearence's 1,427 recorded births place it above 91% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

11 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Kentucky.

Clearence's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Divide Clearence's SSA record in two at 1940 and the more recent half accounts for 37% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 63%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1965, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1927 peak of 58, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.

Clearence popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1897–1986

Last recorded 1986
Peak year (1927)
58
Annual births at peak, across 90 years of records
020406080 189719161925193419431952196119761986 6

Clearence by decade

1920s is the heaviest window (393 births, 28% of the file).

1920s was Clearence's strongest decade.

393 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.

Clearence births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 393 births (28% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Clearence 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 Clearence's total volume

Clearence vs 15 similarly-sized boys names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%5%10%15% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -39, 4.8%-112, 2.6%-57, 3%-29, 11.2%-80, 3.2%-66, 8.5%-27, 9.8%-58, 3.3%-31, 9.4%-52, 4%-39, 6.1%-52, 6.8%-39, 7%-64, 5.1%-126, 2%Clearence-90, 4.1%Clearence
Clearence vs 15 similarly-sized boys names

Clearence by state

Where Clearence concentrates geographically, total births since 1897

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Clearence
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 Kentucky
43 3.0%
#2 North Carolina
38 2.7%
#3 Tennessee
36 2.5%
#4 Virginia
24 1.7%
#5 Alabama
22 1.5%
#6 Texas
22 1.5%
#7 Louisiana
16 1.1%
#8 West Virginia
6 0.4%
Kentucky share of Clearence's total US births 3.0%
Even split

43 of 1,427 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.

Clearence appears in 11 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Clearence?
1,427 babies have been named Clearence since 1897. All-time, it sits at #4,091 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 1986. The peak year was 1927 with 58 births.
Where does Clearence sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clearence ranks #4,091 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Clearence most popular?
Clearence was most popular in the 1920s decade with 393 total births. The single peak year was 1927.
Where is Clearence most popular?
The top states for the name Clearence are Kentucky (43 births), North Carolina (38 births), Tennessee (36 births).
How long has the name Clearence been used?
Clearence has been recorded in Social Security data since 1897, spanning 90 years of data through 1986.
What names are similar to Clearence?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cleveland, Clement, Cleo, Cletus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Clearence's data

  • Clearence's decade-level peak was the 1920s (393 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Kentucky records the most Clearences (43 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Clearence

Nearby Names Like Clearence

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clearence

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Clearence: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.

Data Sources

Data as of August 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, 1897–1986 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

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 Clearence 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 August 2026.