Clarence
The English dukedom, itself from Clare in Suffolk; a nineteenth-century transfer to a given name.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Clarence appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1880 to 1951. Its biggest year was 1921, when 7,332 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 28 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1885, at No. 17. All told, 305,423 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Clarance (4,078), Clarnce (914) (total births since 1880)
Explore Clarence interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 8,760 | No. 17 |
| 1890s | 11,901 | No. 17 |
| 1900s | 13,573 | No. 17 |
| 1910s | 49,196 | No. 20 |
| 1920s | 66,574 | No. 26 |
| 1930s | 42,676 | No. 39 |
| 1940s | 36,197 | No. 62 |
| 1950s | 29,488 | No. 95 |
| 1960s | 17,500 | No. 155 |
| 1970s | 10,667 | No. 187 |
| 1980s | 7,364 | No. 257 |
| 1990s | 4,538 | No. 375 |
| 2000s | 2,592 | No. 613 |
| 2010s | 1,795 | No. 989 |
| 2020s | 743 | No. 1325 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.