Holding steady.
Popularity of Cliffie since 1885
Babies named Cliffie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1916, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Cliffie's real moment was 1893.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 41 |
| 1900s | 44 |
| 1910s | 98 |
| 1920s | 77 |
| 1930s | 48 |
| 1940s | 23 |
| 1950s | 7 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Cliffie is a rare diminutive that saw modest use in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. First recorded in 1885, it reached its peak in 1893, when it was given to a handful of children. By 2025, the name is essentially unused. Its trajectory has been stable since the mid-1900s, with no significant revival. Cliffie was primarily a girl's name in official records, though it originated as a nickname for masculine names like Clifford and Clifton. Unlike more enduring nickname-turned-standalone names, Cliffie never achieved widespread popularity and remains a historical curiosity. The name's connection to cliff-side place names gives it a topographic charm, but it has not been associated with any notable figures or cultural moments.
Cliffie is a diminutive form of either Clifford or Clifton. Clifford derives from Old English 'clif' (cliff) and 'ford' (ford), meaning 'ford near a cliff'. Clifton comes from 'clif' and 'tun' (enclosure or settlement), meaning 'settlement on a cliff'. Both are habitational surnames that became given names, with Cliffie emerging as a pet form in the 19th century.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Cliff
Sibling names for Cliffie
Names that share Cliffie's style, for a brother or sister.
