Clinton

Gender: Boy

Meaning: Young creature, victory of the people

Origin: Scottish Gaelic/Greek

Popularity: Ranked #1732 in 2025 with 94 babies born.

History: Clinton is an English place name derived from Old English, meaning hilltop settlement or fenced town. The name entered American consciousness through geography—Clinton, New York was established in the early 1800s—but truly rose to prominence through transformative historical figures. DeWitt Clinton, New York governor and presidential candidate, championed the Erie Canal, which revolutionized American commerce by connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes and opening the interior to trade and settlement. His vision fundamentally reshaped the nation's economic landscape. George Clinton, a signer of the Constitution, served as Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, anchoring the name in America's founding generation. In the modern era, Bill Clinton's presidency from 1993 to 2001 brought the name into mainstream American households, making it a symbol of late-20th-century politics and governance. Beyond politics, funk pioneer George Clinton created Parliament-Funkadelic, infusing the name with cultural rebellion and musical innovation. According to birth records, Clinton has been tracked since 1880, with 98,005 total births recorded—97,567 boys and only 438 girls. The name peaked in 1981 with 2,206 births, reaching a best rank of #124, reflecting the height of its popularity during the post-war baby boom's tail end. Today, the name ranks #1,728 with 94 babies born in 2025, showing a significant decline from its peak. Despite contemporary shifts in naming trends, Clinton remains rooted in American identity, carrying associations with political ambition, infrastructural vision, and cultural creativity.

Nicknames: Clint, Cliff, Clit, C.C., Ton

Personality vibes: authoritative, steady, ambitious, principled, pragmatic

Sibling name pairings: Harrison, Theodore, Lincoln, Jackson, Grant, Madison, Carter, Hayes

Middle name ideas: Clinton James, Clinton Michael, Clinton David, Clinton Robert, Clinton Alexander, Clinton Thomas, Clinton Edward, Clinton Andrew

Famous people named Clinton:

• Bill Clinton — 42nd President of the United States (1993-2001).
• DeWitt Clinton — New York governor and architect of the Erie Canal.
• George Clinton — Founding Father, Vice President under Jefferson and Madison.
• George Clinton — Funk pioneer and mastermind of Parliament-Funkadelic.
• Clinton Portis — NFL running back with Washington and Denver Broncos.
• Clinton Kelly — Fashion expert and television personality on The Chew.

Clinton in America Today

Clinton carries distinctly American political and cultural weight in contemporary usage. The name evokes presidential authority and founding-era gravitas, often chosen by parents drawn to traditional, masculine names with historical resonance. In 2025, Clinton ranks #1,728 nationally, reflecting a generational shift away from legacy political names toward contemporary and invented options. Today's Clinton is typically a boy's name—only 438 girls have been named Clinton in recorded history—and tends to appeal to families with conservative naming sensibilities or specific ties to American history. The name feels formal and substantial in modern contexts, sometimes perceived as slightly dated compared to trending names like Levi, Owen, or Wyatt. Regional variation exists, with stronger usage in Southern and Midwestern states. Parents choosing Clinton today often do so deliberately, selecting it for its meaning, historical depth, or family connections rather than following contemporary fashion. The name works well across socioeconomic backgrounds and maintains respectability in professional and academic contexts.

Naming Trends

Clinton's trajectory follows a classic boom-and-decline arc typical of mid-20th-century American names. First recorded in 1880, it remained relatively modest until the postwar period, when it gained steady traction. The name reached its absolute peak in 1981 with 2,206 births, achieving a best-ever ranking of #124. This spike corresponded with the tail end of the baby boom and the nation's nostalgia for American history and tradition. From 1981 onward, Clinton experienced gradual but persistent decline. The shift accelerated in the 1990s and 2000s as naming preferences moved toward shorter, more modern, and internationally influenced options. Today, with only 94 babies named Clinton in 2025 and a rank of #1,728, the name has returned to near-obscurity. This represents a 96% decline from its peak. The pattern mirrors other presidential and historical names that dominated earlier eras but lost momentum as parents embraced newer naming sensibilities. Despite the decline, Clinton has never disappeared entirely, maintaining a small but stable base of parents drawn to its historical authenticity.

Cultural Notes

Clinton's cultural presence in America is inseparable from its political legacy. Bill Clinton's presidency dominates recent cultural memory, and the name carries associations with 1990s politics, the tech boom era, and American optimism of that decade. References to Clinton appear frequently in political discourse, media, and literature. Simultaneously, George Clinton's funk revolution represents the name's counterculture dimension—Parliament-Funkadelic's experimental music and avant-garde ethos give Clinton credibility in artistic and bohemian circles. The Erie Canal legacy, while historically significant, is less visible in popular culture but remains embedded in American geography and education. Clinton also appears as a surname across entertainment, sports, and public life, from Hillary Clinton's prominent political career to various athletes and entertainers. In contemporary media, the name rarely appears as a protagonist in modern fiction or television, instead showing up in historical dramas or period pieces. The name feels somewhat formal and establishment-oriented in current cultural conversation, contrasting with the edgier funk associations of George Clinton. There's a subtle tension between Clinton's staid, political connotation and its funk-music wildness—a duality that makes the name unexpectedly layered for those aware of its full cultural range.

Similar names: cliffton, clifton, clint, canton, colton, carrington, covington

Name length: 7 letters

How common is Clinton? About 1 in 35,410 babies born in 2025 were named Clinton, or roughly 0.3 per day in the United States.

Explore more baby names at BabyNa.me — 29,000+ names with meanings, origins, and popularity trends.