Clifton

Clifton is a masculine first name that has its origins in a surname, which in turn is derived from a place name. The literal translation is 'the one who lives in the homestead by a cliff' or 'the town by the cliff.'

What does the name Clifton mean?

The name Clifton is derived from a surname that originally referred to a place. Translated, it means 'the one who lives in the homestead by a cliff' or 'the town by the cliff.' The etymology is rooted in the Old English terms clif for 'the cliff,' 'a group of rocks,' or 'steep slope' and tūn for 'the settlement,' 'the town,' 'the homestead,' or 'the farm.' Short forms and pet forms include Cliff and Cliffy.

Where does the name Clifton come from?

The first name Clifton has its roots in Old English and means 'the one who lives in the homestead by a cliff.' The composition consists of the Old English words clif – meaning 'the cliff,' 'a group of rocks,' or 'steep slope' – and tūn, meaning 'the settlement,' 'the town,' 'the homestead,' or 'the farm.' The language is English.

How do you pronounce Clifton?

The sound and pronunciation of Clifton are two syllables and clearly structured. The name is pronounced as 'Clif-ton' [ˈklɪftən], with a short, bright onset followed by a consonant-rich middle structure. The gentle ending syllable softens the density and provides a calm conclusion. Clifton thus conveys a robust and tradition-conscious impression – clear in form, with stable and reliable presence.

Popularity

In Germany, Clifton is a rather rare first name that has not yet appeared in the German first name charts. Its best ranking was achieved in 1933 in the USA, where it placed 177th. In the last ten years, Clifton has been used as a first name about 1,000 times there, earning it the 1,192nd place in the ten-year statistics. From 1930 to 2024, it ranks 440th in the USA.

Famous people

• Charles Clifton Penick (bishop from Italy)
• Clifton Chenier (American blues musician)
• Clifton Collins (actor from the USA)
• Clifton Collins junior (actor, director, and author)
• Clifton Curtis Williams (astronaut from the USA)
• Clifton Davis (American actor)
• Clifton E. Marsh (American historian)
• Clifton Geathers (American football player)
• Clifton Jones (British actor)
• Clifton Livingston (football manager from England)
• Clifton McNeil (footballer from America)
• Clifton Miheso (Kenyan football player)
• Clifton Powell (actor from the USA)
• Clifton Pugh (Australian artist)
• Clifton Ryan (American footballer)
• Clifton Smith (American football player)
• Clifton Snider (writer from America)
• Clifton Taulbert (American writer)
• Clifton Williams (American composer)
• Edmund Clifton Stoner (British physicist)