Namewise

Adam vs Clifford

Adam and Cliffordcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 1997, Adam was ranked #10 and Clifford #271 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 1992, Adam was ranked #22 and Clifford #337 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Adam was ranked #26 and Clifford #3684 among boys in England and Wales.

Adam and Clifford over time

Adam and Clifford appear together in 2 published lists, across 52 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Clifford in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Clifford reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Adam in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1968, Adam moved ahead of Clifford in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #245 and #222 the year before became #177 and #222.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 25 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Clifford fell — from #229 and #199 in 1966 to #22 and #337 in 1992.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Adam #16 in 1996, Clifford #976 in 1996.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025

    Adam held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Clifford in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Clifford #976 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #26, Clifford #3684.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1966–1992

    Adam held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Clifford in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Adam #22 in 1992, Clifford #142 in 1980.

    The order changed in 1968: Adam moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #245 and #222; by 1968 that had become #177 and #222.

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Adam #22, Clifford #337.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Adam

Pairs where Adam shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Adam, Clifford
FieldAdamClifford
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningTraditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth.Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈædəm/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #3684 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10076/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Adam has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Clifford does not have one recorded yet.
  • Adam and Clifford both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Adam; Clifford doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.

How each name got here

Adam

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #26 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Clifford

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #199 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1966–1992

    Highest recorded position: #142 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1980 (recorded 1966–1992).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #3684 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys