Clay is a distinctive choice, ranked #602 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Clay in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#602
US Rank #543
About the Name Clay
Clay is steadily gaining in popularity, up 25 places over the past five years. Its best recorded rank was #566 in 2021, and it currently sits at #602. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Clay is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #543, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Clay
Unlikely. With around 63 UK babies named Clay per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Clay in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Clay is currently rising in popularity in the UK, up 25 places over the last five years to #602 in 2024. If this trend continues, it will become more common in classrooms over the next decade.
Clay is more popular in the US (#543) than in the UK (#602). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Clay include: Kaelin Clay — Kaelin Clay is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL).; DJ Clay — Michael Velasquez, better known by his stage name DJ Clay, is an American record producer, rapper and disc jockey from Detroit, Michigan.; Clay Shaw — Clay LaVergne Shaw was an American businessman, military officer, and part-time contact of the Domestic Contact Service (DCS) of the CIA..
Clay ranks #543 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
63
UK babies named Clay (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↑ 25 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Clay
Likely around 1 other Clay in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Clay
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Cassius Marcellus Clay was an American planter, politician, military officer and abolitionist who served as the United States ambassador to Russia from 1863 to 1869. Born in Kentucky to a wealthy planter family, Clay entered politics during the 1830s and grew to support the abolitionist cause in the U.S., drawing ire from fellow Southerners.
Kaelin Clay is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Utah Utes, earning first-team All-American honors in 2014.
Michael Velasquez, better known by his stage name DJ Clay, is an American record producer, rapper and disc jockey from Detroit, Michigan. He was signed to Psychopathic Records, but is now on his own label, Armed Robbery Entertainment.
Clay LaVergne Shaw was an American businessman, military officer, and part-time contact of the Domestic Contact Service (DCS) of the CIA. Shaw is best known for being the only person brought to trial for involvement in the 1963 assassination of John F.