Clay
Literal root meaning: “clay + enclosure, settlement; town”
About the name Clay
Clay is a boy name with Old English roots, literally “clay + enclosure, settlement; town”. It is related to Clayton, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a classic, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Clay ranked #573 for boys in the US, with 515 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1960. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Clay were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Clayton, which comes from Old English, meaning “clay” + “enclosure, settlement; town”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Clay”, “Clayton”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #573
- In 2015
- #720
- Babies in 2025
- 515
Popularity of Clay, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Clay
Clay is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Clay
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.