Clayton means clay settlement — from the Old English clǣg (clay) and tūn (town). It's the earthy -ton name: built from clay, grounded in soil. Clayton Kershaw is one of baseball's greatest pitchers. Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger. Two syllables of clay-town honest earthiness and -ton ending modernity.
Old English clǣg (clay) + tūn (town)→English Clayton
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English / Amish roots
Clayton comes from the Old English meaning clay settlement. Clayton Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young winner and one of baseball's greatest pitchers. Clayton Moore (1914–1999) was the original Lone Ranger on television. The name has maintained steady US chart presence.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Medieval as a place name and surname.
3
Today
Clayton remains a beloved choice, ranking #277 in the US. 138,819 babies have been named Clayton since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Clayton?
2000peak year
Clayton reached its widest reach during the early 2000s. In 2000, 2,564 babies received the name (ranked #151). In the present decade it sits around #277, with about 1,290 babies given the name annually. Clayton's usage has held roughly steady recently. The all-time total comes to roughly 138,819 registrations.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
2,564 Babies named in peak year (ranked #151)
1,290Avg. per year (last decade)
12,900Total registrations last 10 years
138,819All-time total (since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #277)Very popular
Clayton's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — building from clay. People named Clayton tend to be grounded, dependable, and gifted at shaping raw materials into something lasting.
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