Cliff

Updated: May 10, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Cliff is both a word name and a shortened form of Clifford or Clifton, and up until 1985, it was fairly popular for boys in the United States. We could easily see it making a comeback in the 2020s as an old-fashioned “Grandpa name.” Because it's short and sweet, it would also make a great middle name. Speaking of middle names, if you do choose Cliff for your baby boy, make sure you go with a multi-syllable middle name to give it some strength.

Meaning of the name Cliff :

English: lives near a cliff

Origin of the name Cliff :

Cliff is both an English word/geographical name and a shortened form of Clifford or Clifton. It most likely originated as a name assigned to someone who lived near a cliff or slope.

Symbolism of the name Cliff :

Cliff doesn't offer too much in the way of symbolism. New parents may choose it because they want their son to live on the edge throughout his life. It could also be inspired by the popular children's book and TV character Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Style of the name Cliff:

Timeless

Gender of the name Cliff :

Cliff is a boy's name.

Pronunciation of the name Cliff :

KLIF

Number of syllables in the name Cliff :

One

Emotion evoked from the name Cliff :

The baby name Cliff evokes images of someone who is jolly, happy, and always up for a good time.

Alternative spellings for the name Cliff :

Clif
Kliff
Klif
Cliffe
Clyff

Nicknames for the name Cliff :

N/A

Popularity of the name Cliff :

According to the Social Security Administration, Cliff was a top 1,000 baby name for boys in the United States on and off until 1985. It was most popular in 1904 when it ranked at number 434. It last ranked at number 874 in 1985.