Clive

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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Clive

Clive is a modified version of the Anglo-Saxon surname Cliff, taken from Old English. Clive was likely used for someone who lived close to one of these locations or who lived close to a cliff or a riverbank since the term is used in the names of many places.

Men who build a town on or near a cliff or steep riverbank would have received this location-based surname. For example, several locations in the counties of Yorkshire, Hampshire, and Kent are referred to as Cliff or Cliffe.

This medieval surname, which may also be spelled Cliff, Cleft, Cleeves, or Clive, first appeared in the Domesday Book in 1084 under the spelling “de Cliua.”

The First Baron of Clive, Robert Clive, is believed to have encouraged the adoption of the name as a given name in the late 18th century. He was instrumental in creating British India, which led to the creation of the East India Company and vast income for the English Crown. Clive Staples Lewis, the creator of the Chronicles of Narnia books, is another well-known person with this name.

Some notable variations of this name are Clyde, Lyle, Klay, Clay, Kye, Klaus, and Lev. Clive occurred several times among the top 1000 names at the start of the 20th century and once more in the 1930s. However, it was only given to 56 baby boys last year.

In the Australian comic strip Beyond the Black Stump, Clive is a fictional character. It received many awards including “Comic Strip Cartoonist of the Year” and “Best Comic Strip.” Geoff Paine portrays the fictitious character Clive Gibbons in the Australian soap series Neighbours. The Reg Grundy Organization was impressed by Paine and offered him the part of Clive.

Clive

heart image
One who hails near a cliff; one who resides near a cliff
Boy
Christianity
English
 C..  Ch..  Che..  Cal..  Cea..  Ceo..  Cle.. 

How To Pronounce Clive?

English

Famous People With The Name Clive

  • Clive Darren AllenEnglish former professional footballer popular for achieving the PFA and Football Writers’ Association player of the year awards.
  • Clifford Hardman “Clive” BrookEnglish film actor, one of the major leads for Paramount Pictures in the late silent era
  • Clive Jay DavisAmerican record producer, A&R executive, famous for winning five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer
  • Clive OwenEnglish actor best known for his work in the film Close My Eyes
  • Clive Stafford SoleyBritish politician worked as a Member of Parliament and a Member of the House of Lords

Clive On The Popularity Chart

The name Clive has been through several ups and downs in the last 20 years. Let us have a look at the graphs below to gain more information.

Popularity Over Time

The name Clive encountered several fluctuations in terms of popularity and currently it is shared by 69 babies per million.

Source: Social Security Administration

Rank Over Time

Unfortunately, the name Clive has never made it among the top 1000 names in the baby name charts of the United States. However, it is still chosen by many parents.

Source: Social Security Administration

Names With Similar Sound As Clive

If you are looking to explore more names that sound like Clive, here are some suggestions.

Names With Similar Meaning As Clive

If you want a name that means the same as Clive but sounds different? Take a look at the options listed below.

Name Numerology For Clive

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