Clarke
Boy name · #3183 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Clarke? In official American birth records, Clarke has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Clarke is currently the #3183 boy name in the United States — 37 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3149, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 48,649 boys born in 2025 was named Clarke.
Babies named Clarke per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Clarke first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 61 boys were named Clarke — good for #889 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Clarke against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Clarke in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Clarke is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Clarke will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Clarke is most common
State-level data for Clarke is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Clarke
Statistically, parents drawn to Clarke tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ike, Audie, Wayde, Tommie, and Williams.
IkeAudieWaydeTommieWilliamsRonnyFritzIvory
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Clarke | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3181 |
| 2024 | 35 | #3335 |
| 2023 | 25 | #4220 |
| 2022 | 38 | #3151 |
| 2021 | 40 | #3021 |
| 2020 | 45 | #2728 |
| 2019 | 53 | #2491 |
| 2018 | 41 | #2893 |
| 2017 | 39 | #3006 |
| 2016 | 61 | #2207 |
| 2015 | 36 | #3149 |
| 2014 | 39 | #2929 |
| 2013 | 32 | #3339 |
| 2012 | 31 | #3450 |
| 2011 | 23 | #4221 |
| 2010 | 20 | #4678 |
| 2009 | 22 | #4429 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 23 | #4243 |
| 2006 | 26 | #3782 |
| 2005 | 19 | #4464 |
| 2004 | 18 | #4602 |
| 2003 | 28 | #3280 |
| 2002 | 23 | #3670 |
| 2001 | 22 | #3721 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Clarke?
In official American birth records, the name Clarke first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Clarke a popular boy name?
Clarke ranked #3183 among boys in 2025 with 37 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3149.
When was the name Clarke most popular?
Clarke peaked in 1947, when 61 American boys received the name (ranked #889 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Clarke?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 48,649 newborn American boys was named Clarke. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.