Sometimes a name ought to be doing quite well – it has the right sound and rhythm for the moment.  But despite all his positive attributes, this one is falling out of favor.

Thanks to Another for suggesting today’s Name of the Day: Clayton.

Clayton has enjoyed steady use in the US, ranking between #150 and #250 most years since 1880.  As of last year, he stood at #247 – not the least popular he’s ever been, but the name has slipped one hundred places in just a decade.

We expected exactly the opposite.  Consider Clayton’s charms:

• He has that great “ay” vowel sound shared by mega-hits from the Name Blob like Aiden/Jayden/Caidhen/Haden/Braydon and Mikayla/Jayla/Tayla/Haylie/Kaylyn;
• We’ve said plenty about two syllable, ends-in-n choices;
• Clayton boasts surname style;
• There’s a subtle nature vibe to this name, too;
• He’s a great compromise choice – he sounds current, but has plenty of history.

 Add it up, and we’d expect Clayton to be climbing!

Clayton started out as a last name, roughly translated to “clay settlement.”  In Old English, clay would’ve been claeg; village or enclosure was tun.  Like Wesley, the meaning isn’t exciting, but it’s nicely neutral.  

As with many surname choices, Clayton caught on in the 19th century, possibly partially due to the popularity of Kentucky Congressman Henry Clay.  He inspired the name of at least fifteen US counties and a handful of streets, so doubtless a few children wore his name, too.  Plus, Clayton was a common enough surname that plenty of parents could’ve passed it down.

There’s an interesting assortment of fictional and famous Claytons out there, including:

• Actor Clayton Moore, best known for his portrayal of The Lone Ranger;
• Musician Adam Clayton, bassist for Grammy-winning rock band U2;
• John Clayton, the birth name of Tarzan in the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels – interestingly, when Disney made an animated version in 1999, they chose Clayton as the name of the bad guy; 
• Most recently seen on the silver screen, Michael Clayton, the attorney played by George Clooney in last year’s film of the same name.

There are towns called Clayton in more than half of the fifty United States, plus in Canada, the UK and Australia.

When we went looking for reasons Clayton appears to be falling from favor, one possibility emerged:  Clay Aiken.  While quite popular with his fans – called the Claymates – the name dropped steadily after his 2003 American Idol success.  (He was runner-up to Ruben Studdard.)  We’d expect an American Idol win to be a boost for a name, but it doesn’t always work that way.

Or Clayton may simply suffer from being too close to modern innovations like Payton, Dayton and Drayton, as well as trendy surname choices like Preston and Paxton, and place names Boston and Trenton.  While his category-spanning style ought to be a plus, perhaps he’s simply not distinctive enough for parents craving a classic, and not novel enough for those seeking something truly fresh.

While he might not be fashionable, Clayton has some great qualities, and can safely be considered by parents hoping for a name that fits in while still standing out.