Total births
97,567
Boys' name · since 1880
Clinton
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 97,567 babies named Clinton, peaking in 1981. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1922
- among boys today
- 97,567
- born since 1880
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Clinton is the #1922 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 97,567 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Clinton has been recorded 97,567 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #1922 nationally and more common than 87% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. 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.
- #1922 among boys today
- 97,567 born since 1880
- 1980s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Clinton is currently the #1922 boys' name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 97,567 born since 1880, peaking in the 1980s.
- #1922
- among boys today
- 97,567
- born since 1880
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Clinton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1922
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Clinton was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
2,206 babies were named Clinton in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
How Clinton compares
97,567 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
Clinton's all-time total is 266x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Clinton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 97,567 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 2,206 | 23 | 22,252 |
Clinton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Clinton's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 66% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 34%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1899, with only 70 births recorded -- set against the 1981 peak of 2,206, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Clinton at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1981
Current rank
#1,922
Active since
1880
Clinton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1981)
- 2,206
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Clinton popularity over time - girls
438 total births recorded since 1918 (Clinton as girls' name)
Clinton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Clinton's strongest decade.
17,533 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Clinton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 867
1880s
867 births
- 1890s 857
1890s
857 births
- 1900s 1,122
1900s
1,122 births
- 1910s 5,302
1910s
5,302 births
- 1920s
1920s
8,443 births
- 1930s 6,708
1930s
6,708 births
- 1940s
1940s
7,706 births
- 1950s
1950s
9,324 births
- 1960s
1960s
10,268 births
- 1970s
1970s
16,346 births
- 1980s
1980s
17,533 births
- 1990s
1990s
7,930 births
- 2000s 2,585
2000s
2,585 births
- 2010s 1,912
2010s
1,912 births
- 2020s 664
2020s
664 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 17,533 births (18% of all-time use).
How Clinton 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 Clinton's total volume
Clinton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Clinton by state
Where Clinton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 8,622 | 8.8% |
| #2 | California | | 5,818 | 6.0% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 4,423 | 4.5% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 3,650 | 3.7% |
| #5 | Florida | | 3,511 | 3.6% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 3,377 | 3.5% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 3,367 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 3,302 | 3.4% |
Texas share of Clinton's total US births 8.8%
Even split
8,622 of 97,567 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Clinton appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Clinton? ▼
Clinton has been given to 97,567 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #1922 as of the latest data. 2,206 babies were born in 1981, its single highest year.
When was Clinton most popular? ▼
Clinton was most popular in the 1980s decade with 17,533 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Clinton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Clinton are Texas (8,622 births), California (5,818 births), Georgia (4,423 births).
How long has the name Clinton been used? ▼
Records for Clinton go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Clinton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Clifford, Clifton, Clint, Cliff, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Clinton's data
- Clinton's decade-level peak was the 1980s (17,533 total births); usage has since declined to 664 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Clintons (8,622 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 Clinton
Nearby Names Like Clinton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Clinton
Clifford Boy
#1341 188,249 births
Clifton Boy
#1735 70,249 births
Clint Boy
#2419 32,731 births
Cliff Boy
#3002 9,307 births
Clive Boy
#2043 3,336 births
Compare Clinton side by side: Clinton vs Clifford Clinton vs Clifton Clinton vs Clint
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Clinton
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. "Clinton: #1922 Boys' Name - 97,567 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/clinton. 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 Clinton 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.