Clayton

Meaning: Clay settlement
Origin: English surname

Nicknames: Clay

Boy's name · #300 in the US (2025) · 90s wave

Popularity over time

Clayton reached its best rank, #147, in 1988 and ranked #300 in 2025. About 139,000 boys have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Clayton is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 44 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Clayton ranks in other countries and regions.

#449 in Canada (2025) · #702 in England & Wales (2025) · #762 in Scotland (2025) · #1,491 in France (2025) · #2,144 in Sweden (2025) · #404 in N. Ireland (2024) · #520 in Ireland (2024) · #1,867 in Ecuador (2023) · #3,323 in Italy (2023) · #447 in New Zealand (2018) · #1,087 in Belgium (2001) · #92 in Australia (QLD) (1983).

Famous Claytons

Clayton Anderson — Retired NASA astronaut and member of the ISS Expedition 15 crew (born 1959)
Clayton Kershaw — American baseball player (born 1988)
Clayton Moore — American actor (1914–1999)
Clayton Keller — American ice hockey player (born 1998)
Clayton Christensen — American academic and business consultant (1952–2020)

In stories & tradition

Clayton Farlow — Dallas (TV series)
Clayton — Tarzan (film)
Clayton McAllister — Operatic character in the opera Cold Sassy Tree; Texas Suitor 30s

What Claytons become

Among 431 notable people named Clayton:

Sports figures appear 1.91× more often than among typical names — e.g. Clayton Stanley, American volleyball player (born 1978).

Spellings & nicknames

About 490 boys a year are given Clay as their full name.

Similar names: Klayton · Garrett · Clay · Preston · Dalton · Brandon

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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