Meaning: Its source is claeg, an Old English name meaning "Moist earth."

Nickname For: Clayton

Popularity: The name Clay ranked 432nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 464th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: This surname was given to those who either lived near a clay pit or worked with clay.