Clifford
KLIF-ərd
A place-based English name meaning “ford by the cliff” or “cliff crossing.”
Meaning
Clifford comes from Old English elements usually explained as clif, meaning “cliff” or “steep slope,” and ford, meaning “river crossing.” The name began as a surname and place name before becoming a given name, so its sense is topographical rather than symbolic.
Origin
Old Englishmasculine
Fun fact
Clifford is one of those surnames-turned-first-names that feels sturdy and old-fashioned, which helped it stay familiar in English-speaking countries.
Confidence: pattern inferred. Sources: based on general naming-pattern knowledge.