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Clive

What does Clive mean?

Clive Pronunciation of Clive as a boys' name is pronounced kleeve, klyve. It is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Clive is "cliff, slope". Surname and place name. Robert Clive was a famous English soldier known for his exploits in India. Thackeray used it as a first name in an 1855 novel. Critic Clive Barnes; author Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis.

STARTS WITH Cl-

ASSOCIATED WITH old english, slope (mountain), surname, famous, soldier (warrior), novel (literary)

Variations

VARIANTS Cleavon, Cleve, Clyve

SEE ALSO Cliff

FEMININE FORM Cleva

CREATIVE FORMS
(male) Cline, ..

(female) Clivi, ..


MIDDLE NAME PAIRINGS
Clive Kyaire (C.K.), ..

How popular is Clive?

Clive is an uncommonly occurring given name for males but a very prominent surname for both adults and children (#66878 out of 150436, Top 44%). (2000 U.S. CENSUS)

Clive reached its top position of #1063 in the U.S. in the 1890s, and is currently at #1861. (TOP BABY NAMES, 2018)

Top 2000 baby names ranking of Clive name in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Clive outside U.S.

Which version is better?

Cleve and Cliff are the prominent variation forms of Clive (#1861 LAST YEAR). These relations of Clive were favored by parents during 1880-1889 (AVERAGE #899) and have become much less widespread since, with versions such as Cliff becoming less in vogue.



Top 2000 baby names ranking of Clive, Cleve, Cliff in U.S.

Top 100 baby names ranking of Clive and related baby names outside U.S.

Similar Names

Clive is alike in pronunciation to Cleeve. Other suggested similar-sounding names are Caide, Caile, Caine, Claire, Clare, Clete, Cliffe, Clift, Clint, Clyde and Olave. These names tend to be more frequently used than Clive.

See names
in meaning and etymology.


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