Claybourne
From Old English, meaning a stream or brook near a clay pit.
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Claybourne. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Claybourne today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Claybourne births was 1923 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Claybourne. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Claybourne is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Claybournes were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Claybourne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
1923
6 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1963 SSA rank
#4,142
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Claybourne: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Claybourne from the 1920s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Claybourne by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Claybourne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Claybourne
The name Claybourne finds its origins in the Old English language, with its roots dating back to the 9th century AD. It is a compound name derived from the words "claeg," meaning clay or earthen material, and "burna," a stream or river. This suggests that the name may have originated among communities situated near clay-rich waterways.
The earliest recorded use of the name Claybourne can be traced back to the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This historical record mentions several individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Claybrun and Claybyrne, indicating its presence in medieval England.
In the 12th century, a notable figure named Claybourne de Montfort was recorded as a knight who participated in the Third Crusade alongside King Richard I. His bravery and loyalty to the crown were celebrated in various chronicles of the time.
During the Renaissance period, a renowned artist named Claybourne Fitzwilliam (1520-1592) gained recognition for his exquisite portraits of English nobility. His works can be found in several prestigious collections across Europe.
In the 17th century, a prominent philosopher and scholar, Claybourne Hawthorne (1635-1701), made significant contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy. His treatise, "The Virtues of Reason," was widely studied and debated in academic circles.
Another individual of note was Claybourne Smithson (1765-1829), a pioneering naturalist and mineralogist. His extensive collection of minerals and fossils formed the foundation of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., one of the world's most renowned museums and research centers.
While the name Claybourne has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, its unique origins and occasional appearances in historical records highlight its enduring presence in various contexts, from military exploits and artistic endeavors to scholarly pursuits and scientific contributions.
People
Claybourne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Claybourne as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Claybourne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Claybourne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Claybourne going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Claybourne a common name?
We classify Claybourne as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 22 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Claybourne most popular?
The single biggest year for Claybourne was 1923, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Claybourne is about 67 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Claybourne in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Claybourne a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Claybourne in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Claybourne still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Claybourne in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Claybourne can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Claybourne?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.