Clayton Name Meaning

The name Clayton comes from the Old English words “clay” and “tun,” meaning “settlement with clay soil.” So, in essence, Clayton means “settler on clay soil.” Talk about a down-to-earth name!

Origins of the Name Clayton

The name Clayton has its roots in England, where it was originally a surname given to those who lived in Clayton, a town in the county of Sussex. As was common in medieval times, people often took on the name of the place they lived as their surname.

History of the Name Clayton

In the 19th century, surnames began to be used as first names, and Clayton was no exception. The name became popular in the United States, especially in the South, where it became a favorite among families with Southern roots.

Popularity of the Name Clayton

Clayton has been a popular name in the United States for over a century, reaching its peak in popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. While it has fallen out of the top 100 names in recent years, it remains a strong and timeless choice for parents.

Clayton has been a popular name in pop culture for generations, appearing in books, movies, and television shows. Some notable Claytons include Clayton Moore, the actor who played the Lone Ranger in the 1950s television show, Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business School professor, and Clayton Kershaw, a Major League Baseball pitcher.

Final Thoughts on the Name Clayton

Today, Clayton is a name that is both traditional and modern. It’s a name that speaks to the strength and steadfastness of its bearer, while still remaining classic and timeless. Plus, with its Southern roots, Clayton has a charming sense of heritage and history.

In conclusion, Clayton is a name with a rich history and plenty of charm. Whether you’re a fan of its Southern roots or simply love its strong and steadfast meaning, Clayton is a great choice for any baby boy. So go ahead, give that little guy a name that’s as strong as steel.

Infographic of Clayton name meaning, which is An English name, Clayton means clay settlement.
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Clayton Name Popularity

How popular is the name Clayton? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 186 110 0.0312%
1911 173 147 0.0395%
1912 180 288 0.0571%
1913 185 334 0.0589%
1914 159 531 0.0762%
1915 162 678 0.0746%
1916 158 737 0.0763%
1917 167 728 0.0728%
1918 156 865 0.0806%
1919 149 883 0.0843%
1920 150 953 0.0857%
1921 157 935 0.0817%
1922 157 962 0.0863%
1923 154 969 0.0865%
1924 152 1,024 0.0882%
1925 161 919 0.0813%
1926 160 931 0.0846%
1927 161 905 0.0818%
1928 171 821 0.0767%
1929 165 835 0.0806%
1930 175 786 0.0752%
1931 168 805 0.0816%
1932 175 769 0.0778%
1933 184 639 0.0686%
1934 183 684 0.0708%
1935 186 681 0.0701%
1936 182 691 0.0717%
1937 187 674 0.0684%
1938 200 606 0.0592%
1939 197 607 0.0597%
1940 211 574 0.054%
1941 203 643 0.0571%
1942 210 684 0.0542%
1943 205 746 0.0571%
1944 212 637 0.0514%
1945 216 611 0.0501%
1946 220 736 0.0499%
1947 223 794 0.0476%
1948 238 694 0.0435%
1949 234 730 0.0454%
1950 239 735 0.0456%
1951 229 798 0.0471%
1952 227 843 0.0483%
1953 227 851 0.0481%
1954 239 825 0.0451%
1955 233 900 0.0489%
1956 234 948 0.0502%
1957 243 994 0.0517%
1958 230 1,107 0.0586%
1959 238 1,118 0.0588%
1960 221 1,235 0.0652%
1961 232 1,144 0.0606%
1962 249 955 0.052%
1963 232 1,012 0.0564%
1964 250 915 0.052%
1965 250 859 0.0525%
1966 257 756 0.0484%
1967 265 721 0.0475%
1968 261 732 0.0487%
1969 263 758 0.0492%
1970 264 802 0.0504%
1971 239 948 0.0631%
1972 229 911 0.0669%
1973 199 1,085 0.0837%
1974 202 1,065 0.0819%
1975 191 1,165 0.0907%
1976 185 1,179 0.0915%
1977 197 1,149 0.0852%
1978 203 1,070 0.0796%
1979 200 1,194 0.0847%
1980 193 1,258 0.086%
1981 185 1,333 0.0907%
1982 161 1,690 0.1131%
1983 158 1,711 0.1159%
1984 150 1,806 0.1214%
1985 157 1,709 0.1126%
1986 160 1,656 0.1097%
1987 155 1,795 0.1176%
1988 146 1,875 0.1203%
1989 152 1,957 0.1213%
1990 152 2,010 0.1213%
1991 173 1,823 0.1118%
1992 167 1,896 0.1188%
1993 157 2,015 0.1292%
1994 149 2,356 0.1535%
1995 150 2,348 0.1558%
1996 149 2,317 0.1547%
1997 147 2,301 0.1556%
1998 150 2,248 0.1502%
1999 159 2,319 0.1549%
2000 151 2,555 0.1673%
2001 162 2,336 0.155%
2002 178 2,143 0.143%
2003 184 2,112 0.1388%
2004 198 1,908 0.1252%
2005 216 1,634 0.1069%
2006 226 1,574 0.1005%
2007 248 1,426 0.0904%
2008 235 1,558 0.1008%
2009 273 1,235 0.0826%
2010 253 1,335 0.0926%
2011 258 1,331 0.0934%
2012 260 1,347 0.0945%
2013 255 1,368 0.0961%
2014 268 1,336 0.0917%
2015 246 1,459 0.1003%
2016 263 1,358 0.0942%
2017 246 1,474 0.1056%
2018 252 1,414 0.1029%
2019 272 1,275 0.0942%
2020 284 1,130 0.0888%
2021 278 1,206 0.0987%
2022 286 1,178 0.0893%
2023 306 1,053 0.0814%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Clayton

If you like Clayton, you’ll love these other names like Clayton.

What names are variants of Clayton?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Clayton.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Claiborne

Boundary with clover; boundary of clay

German

Clay

“The earth,” as the material of which the human body is made.

English

Clayborne

Brook near a clay-bed; border near a clay-bed

English

Clayburn

Brook near a clay-bed; border near a clay-bed; clay settlement

English

Klayton

Clay settlement

English

What names sound like Clayton?

If you like how Clayton sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Clayton.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Claudan

Lame

Latin

Claudon

Lame

Latin

Coleton

Swarthy person; coal town or settlement

English

Collton

Swarthy person; coal town or settlement

English

Colton

Charcoal settlement

English

Galton

Owner of a rented land

English

Lists With Clayton

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Clayton.

Siblings of Clayton

Mamas with kids named Clayton also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Della

Noble

German

15 Comments

  1. I share my last name with my Father.
    I am the Third generation of Clayton that I have knowledge of. I would love to know more about the last name Clayton, particularly from the West?

    Reply

    • If your name is JaVan Clayton, Jr. then I’d hope you share your father’s last name. You’re the second generation of JaVan Clayton so that mean’s your dad’s name is presumably JaVan Clayton as well. More than likely you are a part of countless generations of Claytons all the way back to the Norman Conquest of England unless your grandfather adopted the name and your great-grandfather was named something else. If that’s the case then it means practically nothing for your extended ancestry. Ancestry.com can help.

      Reply

  2. im a clayton

    Reply

  3. I’m a high school student in grade 9 and I’m friends with a lot of people but now I’m friends with a lot more with boys.

    WHICH IS TECHNICALLY EVERY TEENAGE GIRL”S DREAM!:)
    ?????????????????????
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA in our DREAMS BOYS JUST TREAT US AS IF WE DON’T EXIST TO THEM ANYMORE. and I’m sorry for all teenage girls that got hurt by boys. I have trust me.

    And so it’s not easy to make friends, but as I am a grade 9 I’m friends with grade 10, 11, and 12. And so I am friends with a grade 10 his name is Clayton – short form Clay and I think that I like my own best friend, well he is kind of cute he had a gf which stands for girlfriend but their relationship is over now, but I still really really really like him and I can’t get over him he is soo sweet to me, I think that I’m head over heels for him. I didn’t want to get Married and have kids but with him as my grade 10 friend and hanging around with him I think that I have changed my mind about Marriage. And that parents say to their kids almost everyday of their lives that my parents have done that more than 1ones. Saying that you kids are young now but you will change your mind earlier in life as you group up and it seems like that parents are right sometime even when we do not want to agreed with them and say YES MOM and DAD you were right. I know I know I know I know we all don’t like to agree that our parents can be right sometimes, I can feel you guys.

    So his name is Clayton short form and nick name is Clay. “Really, “sweet” to me and “cute”. head over heels for him.!!:) like I said. Clayton but short – form and – nick name is Clay really a great guy.!?
    :>3 <3 🙂 :_ :- :0

    Reply

    • Ohh and I forget to say that when or if I have kids I would have a baby boy, and I would name the baby boy Clayton!!:)

      Karina

      Reply

    • I love my name

      Reply

      • I’m happy to hear someone enjoys the name. I’ve never hated my name but always had mixed feelings and felt like I would have been a better Kyle or David but I am also grateful for the backstory to my name. Having a truly ugly name or having a meaningless name or a culturally mismatched name would have been worse so with that in mind my name is good. I probably would like it more if not so many people thought my name wasn’t cool or attractive in my area. I think my wife even feels that way because she’s never called me by it and even to this day if she says my name I know something’s wrong. Also, a lot of people when I was a teen called me Mr. Clayton and I assume that’s because it’s a surname-name and they were mocking me.

        Reply

  4. We chose Clayton because we love classic, western names. My husband was a rodeo guy in high school, and we both like the western lifestyle. Clayton seemed like the perfect name as neither of us knew any Claytons personally (which is key because I am a teacher). We also liked it that it was more traditional.

    Reply

  5. Named Clayton Walter after my Grandfathers… Clayton Claire was born in 1908 and Walter Joseph was born in 1912

    Reply

  6. Named after his great great grandfather. We liked that it is a strong, classic name, but not overly popular. We also like the nickname “Clay.”

    Reply

  7. We love old names that aren’t too unique but that are also not super common. Clayton fits into that category perfectly and it also sounds strong/professional.

    Reply

  8. My grandma is 1 of 13 children and her youngest brother’s name was Clayton. He was born with cerebral palsy and died when he was three years old. It was such a special moment when my grandma came to meet my son for the first time and found out his name.

    Reply

  9. Well my husband love the verse in the bible where God talks about Him being the potter and we are the Clay. We love the Lord and so we wanted to name both our children with biblical names.

    Reply

    • My name is also Clayton can you maybe tell me what verse is jesus speaking about clay in the bible?

      Reply

      • This is from KJV cuz it’s the best we got – Isaiah 64:8 It states, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”

        God didn’t say it. A man wrote this as a metaphor describing God as the creator and we as the created.

        The Bible also mentions something similar in Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” This describes God creating man from the “dust of the ground,” which is often interpreted as referring to clay.

        Reply

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