Claborne
A unique baby name derived from an English surname, possibly meaning "dweller at the clay barn".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Claborne. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Claborne today is around 66 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Claborne births was 1954 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Claborne. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Claborne is about 66 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clabornes were born before 1970.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Claborne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1954
5 babies that year
Average age
66
years old
1954 SSA rank
#3,913
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Claborne: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Claborne by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Claborne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Claborne
The given name Claborne originated in England during the late Middle Ages, derived from the Old English words "clær" meaning bright or illustrious, and "burna" meaning a stream or brook. It was a combination name that signified a bright or shining stream, possibly referring to a geographical location or a descriptive characteristic.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Claborne can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as a surname for landowners in various counties of England. This suggests that the name had already gained some prominence and recognition by the 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in religious texts and chronicles, such as the Annals of Burton, where a monk named Claborne of Lichfield was mentioned. This indicates that the name had also gained acceptance within religious circles during the medieval period.
Throughout the subsequent centuries, several notable individuals bore the name Claborne. One such individual was Sir Claborne Wyndham (1499-1572), a prominent English nobleman and landowner who served as a member of parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another notable figure was Claborne Gooch (1671-1744), a British naval officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Virginia from 1727 to 1749. His tenure was marked by significant economic and social reforms in the colony.
In the 19th century, Claborne Pell (1816-1892) was a renowned American politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of Rhode Island and later as the United States Minister to Portugal.
During the same period, Claborne Burton (1823-1898) was a distinguished American jurist who served as a judge in the Supreme Court of Missouri and played a pivotal role in shaping the state's legal system.
Lastly, Claborne Gooch Lorimer (1888-1962) was a notable American architect who designed several iconic buildings in the Art Deco style, including the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in New York City.
These examples demonstrate the enduring presence of the name Claborne throughout various epochs and across different professions, reflecting its historical significance and cultural relevance.
People
Claborne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Claborne as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Claborne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Claborne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Claborne going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Claborne a common name?
We classify Claborne as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Claborne most popular?
The single biggest year for Claborne was 1954, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Claborne is about 66 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Claborne in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Claborne a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Claborne in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Claborne still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Claborne in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Claborne can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Claborne?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.