b babynamesuggestion
Menu

Your Shortlist

0 names saved

Cliff

Quick answerCliff is an English name meaning "dweller by the cliff" or "from the cliff," derived from the Old English word "clif" referring to a steep rock face or slope.

English · Boy · 1 syllable

C
Top 5,000

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderBoy
US Rank#2,895
TrendStable
Peak year1959
Syllables1
OriginEnglish
LanguageEnglish
CultureEnglish
Letters5
Numerology9 Chaldean 5
Global rank#286

Popularity over time

Popularity index
Hover the line to see any year. 100 = most popular.

Historical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data

About the name Cliff

Cliff is an English name meaning "dweller by the cliff" or "from the cliff," derived from the Old English word "clif" referring to a steep rock face or slope.

Cross-referenced with Wikidata/Wikipedia. AI-assisted, community-reviewable. Suggest an improvement.

Etymology

Cliff is an English name meaning "dweller by the cliff" or "from the cliff," derived from the Old English word "clif" referring to a steep rock face or slope. The name has been predominantly used in English-speaking cultures, particularly in Britain and North America, with increased popularity during the 20th century, notably borne by figures like actor Cliff Richard.

Cliff currently ranks #2,895 in the United States as a boy's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1959.

Themesnature

Variants & nicknames

Contribute to this name

Help improve this page with a meaning, origin, or correction—and get credited as a contributor.

Login to contribute

We use Google & Facebook login — no password needed.

AdvertisementAd — responsive (after data block)

Sibling name ideas

English names that sit beautifully beside Cliff

Similar names you might like

Names starting with C

Names that sound like Cliff

Phonetic match, not just spelling
Caleb
Unisex English

"Caleb comes from the Hebrew name Kaleb (כָּלֵב), meaning "devotion to God" or "whole heart," derived from the root words…"

Global rank #36 View name
Colby
Unisex English

"Colby derives from the Old Norse name "Kolby," combining "kol" (coal) and "by" (settlement), meaning "a settlement of coal" or…"

Global rank #199 View name
Calaeb
Boy Hebrew

"The name 'Calaeb' is a variant spelling of 'Caleb', meaning "dog" or "faithful, devoted" from the Hebrew root *k-l-b* (כלב)."

Global rank #395 View name
Calliope
Girl Greek

"Calliope derives from the Greek words "kallos" (beauty) and "ops" (voice), meaning "beautiful-voiced" or "fair of speech." In ancient Greek…"

Global rank #451 View name
Calebe
Boy Hebrew

"The name 'Calebe' is a Portuguese and Galician form of the Hebrew name 'Caleb' (כָּלֵב), meaning "dog" or "faithful, devoted"…"

Global rank #498 View name
Caileb
Boy Hebrew

"The name 'Caileb' is a variant of 'Caleb,' meaning "dog" or "faithful, devoted" from the Hebrew root *kalev* (כָּלֵב)."

Global rank #532 View name
Cleophee
Girl Greek

"The name 'Cleophee' is a variant of 'Cleophas,' derived from the Greek name *Κλεόπας* (Kleopas), meaning "glory of the father"…"

Global rank #629 View name
Clive
Boy English

"The name 'Clive' means "dweller at the cliff" or "slope," derived from the Old English word *clif* (cliff)."

Global rank #687 View name
Colbie
Unisex Old Norse

"The name 'Colbie' is a modern variant of 'Colby', derived from an Old Norse byname meaning "coal settlement" or "dark…"

Global rank #727 View name
Clova
Girl Scottish Gaelic

"The given name 'Clova' is of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the place name Clova in Angus, Scotland, meaning "meadow"…"

Global rank #780 View name
Clevia
Girl Latin

"The name 'Clevia' is likely a modern invented name, possibly derived from the Latin "clivus" meaning "slope" or "hill," or…"

Global rank #2,007 View name
Coleby
Boy Old English

"The given name 'Coleby' means "coal settlement" or "dark village," derived from the Old English elements *col* (coal) and *by*…"

Global rank #2,922 View name
AdvertisementAd — between sections

Names trending right now

Rising names for Boys

Help us make this better for every parent

Found a mistake · Know a name we’re missing · Have a different or better meaning for a name · Any question or recommendation — your insight helps families worldwide choose with confidence.

Share your feedback →
Scroll to Top
Follow & Connect