Clifton

Meaning of Clifton

Clifton is an Anglo-Saxon place-name turned given name, built from the Old English elements “clif” (slope or cliff) and “tun” (enclosure, settlement), so it literally denotes “town near the cliff,” a meaning that blends solidity with a hint of elevation. Initially a surname attached to villages across England, it migrated to the United States in colonial times and has since maintained a modest but remarkably stable footprint: SSA data show it hovering between the 400th and 900th ranks for well over a century, with recent births averaging just under one hundred per year. Associations lean scholarly and slightly patrician—think literary critic Clifton Fadiman, blues accordionist Clifton Chenier, or character actor Clifton Powell—giving the name a quiet, cultivated aura without tipping into pretension. Because it is both topographical and historic, Clifton appeals to parents who favor heritage names that feel grounded yet untrendy, offering a familiar sound that sidesteps the volatility of contemporary naming fashions.