Clayton

The name Clayton derives from an old English geographical surname, which goes back to the Old English terms clǣġ for "clay" and tūn for "village, town, settlement." Thus, Clayton means "the one originating from the clay settlement."

What does the name Clayton mean?

Clayton is originally an old English, place-based surname that derives from the Old English words clǣġ ("clay") and tūn ("village, town, settlement"). This results in the meaning "the one originating from the clay settlement." In English-speaking countries, Clayton is common as both a first and last name, particularly prevalent in North America. A common short form of Clayton is Clay.

Where does the name Clayton come from?

Clayton is a masculine first name with Old English roots, meaning "the one originating from the clay settlement." The word components come from Old English: clǣġ means "clay," while tūn stands for "village, town, settlement." It is primarily used in American and Canadian English.

How do you pronounce Clayton?

The pronunciation of Clayton is two syllables and harmonious. Typically, the name is pronounced as "Clay-ton" [ˈkleɪ̯tən]. The diphthong at the beginning gives the sound a breadth and dynamic movement, while the reduced final syllable provides a grounded conclusion. This conveys a modern and established feeling – open at the beginning, but stable and calm in overall sound.

Popularity

In Germany, Clayton is a rather rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,488th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2016 at 2,920th. Over the last ten years, Clayton has been given as a first name about 30 times, placing it 4,630th for the decade. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 5,542nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Clay / Clayti

Famous people

• Clayton Beauford (American football player)
• Clayton Conrad Anderson (American astronaut)
• Clayton Counts (American musician)
• Clayton Haas (character from 'Quantico')
• Clayton Hamilton (baseball player from the USA)
• Clayton Hamilton (American musician)
• Clayton Hill (musician from Canada)
• Clayton Hinkley (Australian football player)
• Clayton Ince (football player)
• Clayton James Cubitt (photographer from America)
• Clayton Jones (American illustrator)
• Clayton Kearney (Australian sprinter)
• Clayton Littlewood (English writer)
• Clayton McDonald (English football player)
• Clayton McMichen (Georgia country musician)
• Clayton Nascimento Meireles (Brazilian football player)
• Clayton Pachal (Canadian ice hockey player)
• Clayton Rohner (American actor)
• Clayton Scrivner (American drummer)
• Clayton Silva (Brazilian actor)