UK boy's name
Clay
Of English origin, meaning "soil" or "soft, earthy material".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Clay is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Clay popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #602, with 63 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 68 births.
This profile covers 834 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 93% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 894 living people in the UK are called Clay. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Clay ranked #602 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 63 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 68 boys were registered as Clay.
- • Clay ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #365 in 2019.
- • About 894 living people in the UK are estimated to have Clay as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#602
2024
Births in 2024
63
Latest year
Peak year
2021
68 births
Estimated living
894
2026
Meaning
What does Clay mean?
The name Clay has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "claeg," which means "clay" or "mud." This name is believed to have emerged in the early medieval period, around the 5th to 11th centuries.
The name Clay was likely given to individuals who lived near clay-rich areas or worked with clay, perhaps as potters or brickmakers. It may have also been used as a descriptive name for someone with a ruddy or earthy complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clay can be found in the Domesday Book, a historical record compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror. This document mentions a landowner named Clay in the county of Derbyshire, England.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Clay. One of the most famous was Henry Clay (1777-1852), an American statesman and orator who served as the 9th United States Secretary of State and as a member of the United States Senate representing Kentucky.
Another prominent figure was Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903), a Kentucky politician and abolitionist who was an outspoken advocate for the emancipation of slaves. He was also known for his role in the anti-slavery movement and his support for Abraham Lincoln.
In the world of literature, Clay Whittaker (1901-1943) was a renowned American journalist and author best known for his novel "The Web of Circumstance," which explored the complexities of human relationships.
The name Clay also has a connection to the world of sports. Clay Kirby (1945-2019) was an American professional baseball player who played as a pitcher for several Major League Baseball teams, including the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds.
Lastly, Clay Aiken (born 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and author who rose to fame as the runner-up on the second season of the reality singing competition "American Idol" in 2003.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Clay, showcasing its rich heritage and diverse cultural backgrounds.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Clay over time
The chart below shows babies named Clay registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Clay, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 63 births in 2024, compared with 68 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clay by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Clay was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #648 | 280 | 5 |
| 2010s | #865 | 403 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1539 | 119 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1624 | 32 | 4 |
Geography
Where Clay is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Clay. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Clay ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #365 in 2019.
Across the UK
Clay in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#535 in 2024
11 years of NRS records, 59 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#365 in 2019
2 years of NISRA records, 7 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Clay
-
Clay Milner Russell
actor; television actor; film actor
English actor (born 1999)
1999-
-
Clay Smith
cricketer
Bermudian cricketer
1971-
-
Clay Coleman
association football player
Caymanian footballer
1970-
-
Clay Oliver
marine architect
British naval architect and yacht designer
Related
Names similar to Clay
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Clay: questions and answers
How popular is the name Clay in the UK right now?
In 2024, Clay was ranked #602 for boys in England and Wales, with 63 births registered.
When was Clay most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 68 babies registered as Clay in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Clay?
Of English origin, meaning "soil" or "soft, earthy material".
How many people are called Clay in the UK?
A total of 834 babies have been registered as Clay across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 59 more in Scotland and 7 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Clay most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Clay ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #365 in 2019. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.