Cliffie
A diminutive of the English name Clifford, related to cliff or cliff town.
Name Census estimates that about 27 living Americans carry the first name Cliffie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cliffie today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cliffie births was 1916 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cliffie. 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 Cliffie is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cliffies were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cliffie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
27
~ 1 in 12,694,605 Americans
Peak year
1916
15 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1954 SSA rank
#4,742
Tracked since 1885
Popularity
Cliffie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cliffie from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 98 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cliffie 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 Cliffie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cliffies live
Origin
Meaning and history of Cliffie
The name Cliffie is an English diminutive form of the masculine name Clifford, derived from the Old English words "clif" meaning cliff or slope, and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing. It was originally a surname given to those who lived near a cliff or slope close to a river ford. The name gained widespread popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and later in other English-speaking regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clifford dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as a surname. Over the centuries, the name evolved into a given name, with the shortened form Cliffie emerging as a diminutive variant.
While there are no notable historical references or mentions of the specific name Cliffie in ancient texts or religious scriptures, several individuals bearing the name Clifford have left their mark throughout history.
One of the most prominent figures was Clifford Sifton (1861-1929), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of the Interior and Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the early 20th century. He played a significant role in shaping Canada's immigration policies and promoting western settlement.
Another notable Clifford was Clifford Geertz (1926-2006), an American anthropologist known for his work on symbolic anthropology and his influential book "The Interpretation of Cultures." His contributions to the field of anthropology and the study of cultural symbolism were widely recognized.
In the literary world, Clifford Odets (1906-1963) was an American playwright and screenwriter who was a prominent figure in the American theatre during the Great Depression. His plays, such as "Waiting for Lefty" and "Awake and Sing!," explored social and political themes and had a significant impact on the American theatre scene.
The name Cliffie was also borne by Clifford Burdick (1904-1996), an American businessman and politician who served as the Governor of North Dakota from 1959 to 1961. He was instrumental in promoting economic development and education initiatives during his tenure.
Lastly, Clifford Burton (1905-1988) was a British actor known for his roles in various films and television shows, including "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Cruel Sea." He had a distinguished career spanning several decades in the British entertainment industry.
While the name Cliffie may not have a long and illustrious history like some ancient names, it has been borne by notable individuals who have left their mark in various fields, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements associated with this diminutive form of Clifford.
People
Cliffie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cliffie 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
Cliffie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cliffie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 27 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cliffie 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 12,694,605 US residents.
Is Cliffie a common name?
We classify Cliffie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 44.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 343 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cliffie most popular?
The single biggest year for Cliffie was 1916, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cliffie is about 85 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 Cliffie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cliffie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cliffie in the SSA data are female. 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 Cliffie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cliffie 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 Cliffie 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 many people have Cliffie as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.