Clinton is an English surname and place name, from the Old English for "settlement on a hill" or "town by the headland". It became a first name in America through families such as that of DeWitt Clinton, the New York governor behind the Erie Canal, and later through the Clinton presidency. Clinton was a steady top 1000 name through the 20th century, stood at number 633 in 2000, left the top 1000 and ranks number 1732 among boys' names in 2025.