Clifton
2 syllables
♂ Male ◎ English / Germanic ◈ 2 syllables
"Place on a cliff"

From English / Germanic

Clifton means settlement by the cliff or cliff town — from the Old English. The Clifton Suspension Bridge IS one of engineering's most beautiful — Brunel's masterpiece. Two syllables of engineering's-most-beautiful, Brunel's-masterpiece, and Old English cliff-settlement.

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Clifton at a glance
MeaningPlace on a cliff
OriginEnglish / Germanic
GenderMale
Syllables2
NumerologyLife Path 7
US Rank (today)#1656
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Why parents love Clifton
  • Clifton Suspension Bridge IS engineering's most beautiful.
  • Brunel's masterpiece.
  • Two syllables with a strong, English sound: KLIF-ton.
  • Cliff and Ton are BOTH embedded.
  • The meaning cliff town IS dramatically elevated.
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The vibe of Clifton
settlement by cliffcliff townOld EnglishClifton Suspension BridgeengineeringbeautifulBrunel
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Origin & history of Clifton
Old English clif (cliff) + tun (settlement) → Clifton
1
English / Germanic roots
Clifton means cliff-settlement. The Suspension Bridge IS engineering's most beautiful — Brunel's masterpiece.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Old English; Clifton Suspension Bridge (1864).
3
Today
Clifton remains a beloved choice, ranking #1656 in the US. 70,600 babies have been named Clifton since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
◆
How popular is Clifton?
1975 peak year
Today, Clifton is rarely chosen — ranked well outside the top 1,000 (around #1656), with only about 100 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1975, 1,214 babies were given the name (ranked #186 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1950s. Clifton's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 70,600 babies have been registered as Clifton since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations 1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
1,214 Babies named in peak year
(ranked #186)
100 Avg. per year
(last decade)
1,000 Total registrations
last 10 years
70,600 All-time total
(since 1880)
Popularity in the US today (rank #1,656) Moderate
→ Holding steady in recent years
📊 Check all names registered in the United States →
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Numerology of Clifton
7
Life path number
The Seeker
Wisdom, introspection and spiritual depth.

Clifton's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — cliff-building. People named Clifton tend to be strong, beautiful, and gifted at being engineering's most beautiful cliff settlement.

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Engineering's most beautiful
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Brunel-masterpiece
◈
Cliff-settlement
◎
Cliff-Ton embedded
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Dramatically elevated
C3
L3
I9
F6
T2
O6
N5
Sum: 34 → Life path 7
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Personality of Clifton
🔍
Curious & intellectual
Always questioning, always learning.
📚
Deep thinker
Surface answers don't satisfy them.
🌙
Reflective & wise
They think before they speak. Worth hearing.
🦋
Beautifully independent
Their solitude is purposeful, not lonely.
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Famous people named Clifton

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Names that combine with Clifton

Sibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Clifton.

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Middle names for Clifton

The right middle name turns Clifton into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.

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Numerology life path calculator

Enter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.

First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number

How we calculated this
Clifton is a beautiful choice.
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