Clayton is of English origin and means 'clay settlement'. It was initially used as a surname, referring to someone who lived near clay pits or worked with clay. Over time, Clayton evolved into a given name. It gained popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century, peaking at its highest rank of number 169 in 1978. Today, it remains a popular choice for parents, ranking consistently within the top 500 names for boys.
Here are the statistics for the name Clayton:
From 1910 to 1928, there were consistent fluctuations in births, ranging from a low of 5 births in several years to a high of 15 births in 1926.
In the following decades (1930s and 40s), birth numbers remained relatively stable, oscillating between 5 and 10 births annually, with peak years being 1930 (13 births) and 1946 (6 births).
The period from the mid-50s to early 70s saw a significant increase in Clayton births. There were fewer years with single-digit birth counts, and more years with double-digit figures, like 12 births in 1972.
From the late 80s onwards, there was another surge in Clayton births. Between 1988 and 2004, there were many years with over 10 births annually, reaching a peak of 17 births in 1989.
After 2005, birth numbers began to decline again, although there were still several years with double-digit counts. Since 2016, Clayton births have consistently been below 10 per year.
In total, there were 610 births named Clayton from 1910 to 2023.