Cliff
Boy name · #2885 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Cliff? In official American birth records, Cliff has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Cliff ranks #2885 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 43 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #5289, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 41,860 boys born in 2025 was named Cliff.
Babies named Cliff per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Cliff first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 310 boys were named Cliff — good for #455 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 Cliff against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cliff in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Cliff is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Cliff will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cliff is most common
State-level data for Cliff 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 Cliff
Statistically, parents drawn to Cliff tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Carlton, Craig, Loren, Rickey, and Chet.
CarltonCraigLorenRickeyChetRustyCaryJeff
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cliff | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 | #2884 |
| 2024 | 41 | #3001 |
| 2023 | 39 | #3117 |
| 2022 | 33 | #3464 |
| 2021 | 29 | #3740 |
| 2020 | 47 | #2658 |
| 2019 | 26 | #4003 |
| 2018 | 21 | #4610 |
| 2017 | 24 | #4224 |
| 2016 | 19 | #4943 |
| 2015 | 17 | #5289 |
| 2014 | 20 | #4702 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 13 | #6306 |
| 2011 | 21 | #4509 |
| 2010 | 19 | #4848 |
| 2009 | 12 | #6802 |
| 2008 | 16 | #5487 |
| 2007 | 20 | #4640 |
| 2006 | 18 | #4865 |
| 2005 | 17 | #4824 |
| 2004 | 14 | #5492 |
| 2003 | 15 | #5035 |
| 2002 | 14 | #5131 |
| 2001 | 19 | #4121 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Cliff?
In official American birth records, the name Cliff first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Cliff a popular boy name?
Cliff ranked #2885 among boys in 2025 with 43 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5289.
When was the name Cliff most popular?
Cliff peaked in 1959, when 310 American boys received the name (ranked #455 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cliff?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 41,860 newborn American boys was named Cliff. 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.