Clinton is a surname of English origin that has been used as a given name in recent times. It is derived from the Middle English word "cliton," which means "from the settlement on the hill." The name has also been associated with the French place name "Clitoun," which translates to "from the settlement on the hill."
The surname Clinton was brought to England by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066. It became widespread during the Middle Ages, and many families with this name have traced their lineage back to these early times.
In the United States, the name Clinton gained prominence in the mid-20th century due to the popularity of former President Bill Clinton. Born William Jefferson Blythe III, he adopted his mother's maiden name Clinton after his father died before his birth. He went on to become the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001.
Today, Clinton is still predominantly a surname but has been used as a given name for both boys and girls in recent years. Despite its history and prominent figures, the meaning behind the name Clinton remains relatively simple and straightforward: it is a name that signifies origin and heritage, whether from a hilltop settlement or a family line stretching back centuries.
The name Clinton has been given to a significant number of babies born in the United States over the years, as indicated by the provided statistics. From 1880 to 1967, the number of births with the name Clinton fluctuated between 79 and 1125, with an average of approximately 400 births per year during this period.
However, there was a notable increase in the popularity of the name starting from 1968. In that year alone, there were 1480 births with the name Clinton, marking the beginning of a trend where the number of babies named Clinton consistently surpassed the annual average of the previous years.
The peak of this trend occurred between 1975 and 1982, during which time the number of births with the name Clinton nearly doubled each year. The highest number of births recorded in this period was in 1980, with a total of 2166 babies named Clinton.
After reaching its peak in 1982, the popularity of the name Clinton began to decline steadily over the following years. By 1993, there were only 838 births with the name Clinton, marking a significant decrease from the heights of the previous decade.
This downward trend continued throughout the remainder of the century and into the early 2000s. Between 2006 and 2014, the number of babies named Clinton hovered around an average of 250 births per year. However, there was a further decline in popularity after this period, with fewer than 250 babies being named Clinton each year between 2015 and 2023.
Despite its declining popularity in recent years, the name Clinton has a rich history in the United States, having been given to nearly 98,000 babies over the past century and a half. This statistic underscores the enduring appeal of the name Clinton among parents throughout different eras in American history.