Home / Name Directory / Clay
How Many People Are Named Clay?
Estimated people named Clay living in the U.S. today
32,080
Gender distribution
100% male · 0% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 40,009
- Peak year: 1960 (911 births)
- Estimated living today: 32,080
Clay by age group — who carries the name today?
Clay popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Clay
Clay has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 40,009 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 32,080 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 10,655 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Clays you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Clay in the US?
An estimated 32,080 people named Clay are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Clay rare — about 1 in 10,655 Americans.
Is Clay a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Clay is 100% male and 0% female, so it is predominantly a male name.
When was Clay most popular?
Clay peaked in 1960, when 911 babies were given the name. Its current trend is rising compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Clay?
Clay ranks #1,198 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 47 out of 100 (higher means rarer).