Boys' name · since 1945
Clif
Clif has 199 recorded births since 1945 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1959 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12,968 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 199
- born since 1945
- 1950s
- peak decade
Clif is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 199 have been recorded since 1945.
Social Security Administration records show Clif recorded 199 times among boys since 1945, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1945 to 1981.
- #12,968 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 199 born since 1945
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clif ranks #12,968 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 199 born since 1945, peaking in the 1950s.
- #12,968 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 199
- born since 1945
- 1950s
- peak decade
Clif's 199 recorded births place it above 71.4% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Clif's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Clif's full recorded timeline at 1961, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1962, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1959 peak of 19 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Clif popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1945–1981
- Peak year (1959)
- 19
- Annual births at peak, across 37 years of records
Clif by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (90 births, 45% of the file).
1950s was Clif's strongest decade.
90 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Clif births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 12
1940s
12 births
- 1950s
1950s
90 births
- 1960s
1960s
78 births
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
- 1980s 12
1980s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 90 births (45% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clif? ▼
Where does Clif sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Clif most popular? ▼
How long has the name Clif been used? ▼
What names are similar to Clif? ▼
What to do with Clif's data
- Clif's decade-level peak was the 1950s (90 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Clif
Nearby Names Like Clif
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clif
Compare Clif side by side: Clif vs Clifford Clif vs Clinton Clif vs Clifton
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Clif: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1959)
Similar record span (~36 yrs)
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, 1945–1981 (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 Clif 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.