Total births
1,427
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.
- 1,427
- total births
- 1897–1986
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that 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.
- 1,427 total births
- 1897–1986 years on record
- 1920s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,427 boys have been named Clearence since 1897, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1986.
- 1,427
- total births
- 1897–1986
- years on record
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Clearence was born in this single decade.
1927
Single peak year
58 babies were named Clearence in 1927 - its busiest year on record.
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 at a glance
Last recorded 1986Peak year
1927
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1897
Clearence popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1897–1986
- Peak year (1927)
- 58
- Annual births at peak, across 90 years of records
Clearence by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1900s 21
1900s
21 births
- 1910s 132
1910s
132 births
- 1920s
1920s
393 births
- 1930s
1930s
344 births
- 1940s
1940s
280 births
- 1950s 149
1950s
149 births
- 1960s 69
1960s
69 births
- 1970s 27
1970s
27 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 393 births (28% of all-time use).
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
Clearence by state
Where Clearence concentrates geographically, total births since 1897
| 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. It was last recorded in 1986. The peak year was 1927 with 58 births.
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
- 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 Clearence
Nearby Names Like Clearence
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clearence
Cleveland Boy
#6471 21,945 births
Clement Boy
#2211 14,167 births
Cleo Boy
#4710 11,527 births
Cletus Boy
#10969 7,437 births
Cleve Boy
4,506 births
Compare Clearence side by side: Clearence vs Cleveland Clearence vs Clement Clearence vs Cleo
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Clearence: Baby Name Since 1897 - 1,427 Births, Peak 1927." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clearence. 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 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 July 2026.