Boy
Old English
2 syllables
Clifford
KLIF-erd
/ˈklɪf.ərd/
"Ford by the cliff" — a sturdy English landscape name beloved by children worldwide
Clifford is an Old English place name meaning ford near a cliff or steep bank, from clif (cliff) and ford (a shallow river crossing). It was a common English and Norman surname that became a given name. In popular culture, Clifford the Big Red Dog — Norman Bridwell's beloved children's book character — has kept the name warm and recognizable for generations of children.
Quick Facts
Letters8
SyllablesClif · ford
GenderBoy
OriginOld English
Root WordClif-ford (cliff + ford)
MeaningFord near the cliff
PopularityUncommon
Peak Year1940
Trend
→ Stable
Name DayN/A
Nicknames
CliffClifFord
About the Name Clifford
Clifford means ford near the cliff in Old English, a place name describing a river crossing beside steep rock.
Clifford is an Old English place name and surname used as a given name, brought to prominence by Norman nobles.
Clifford peaked mid-20th century and is now uncommon as a baby name, though universally recognized through the children's books.
Clifford James, Clifford Allen, and Clifford Thomas are solid classic combinations.
Clifford suggests loyalty, gentleness, and a big warm heart — very much the Clifford the Big Red Dog effect.
The standard spelling is Clifford. The nickname Cliff is widely used. Clifton is a related but separate name.
Personality of Clifford
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Clifford
Creativity
68%
Elegance
60%
Independence
74%
Intelligence
74%
Strength
76%
Warmth
82%
Famous People Named Clifford
C
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Beloved fictional giant red dog from Norman Bridwell's children's book series
C
Clifford Brown
Influential American jazz trumpeter of the bebop era
C
Clifford Odets
American playwright known for Waiting for Lefty and Golden Boy
Middle Names for Clifford
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Clifford
Clifford James
Clifford Lee
Clifford Thomas
Clifford Allen
Clifford Robert
Clifford Wayne
Clifford Eugene
Clifford Earl
Clifford Dale
Clifford Franklin
Names Similar to Clifford
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Clifford
1100
Clifford established as an English place name and Norman noble surname
1300
The Clifford family becomes prominent English nobility in Yorkshire
1940
Clifford peaks in US baby name popularity
1963
Clifford the Big Red Dog first published, making the name beloved among children
Numerology & Symbolism of Clifford
1
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
6
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Cancer
6
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Red
💎
Lucky Stone
Ruby
🌸
Lucky Flower
Poppy
Clifford Around the World
How Clifford is written in different languages and scripts
كليفورد
Arabic
クリフォード
Japanese
Клиффорд
Russian
클리포드
Korean
克利福德
Chinese
Κλίφορντ
Greek
क्लिफर्ड
Hindi
קליפורד
Hebrew
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