Clark

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Clark

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Clark comes from a Middle English occupational surname meaning “Clerk” or “Secretary,” a person who would read and write for his boss.

The word comes from the Old English term “clerec” and Latin “clericus” which referred originally to a cleric, or a clergyman, someone who (in the early Middle Ages) was the only one able to read and write.

History:
Clark is another example of an English occupational surname that has been transferred for use as af first name. Originally, it would have been bestowed upon sons as either a first or a middle name in order to honor the Clark surname. For example, a woman named Mary Clark who married a man named John Smith, may name her son John Clark Smith, or merely Clark Smith. Another family might want to honor a famous politician, family friend, or naval hero named William Clark by naming their son “Clark.”

Because Clark is one of the most common of American surnames (the 21st most common in 1990), the first name Clark was found often in the late 19th century.

Although this custom is rarely practiced today, the name Clark had already passed into the general pool of names, and was quite common for most of the 20th century. It was at its most popular in the 1930s and 1940s, probably thanks to movie star Clark Gable (1901-1960).

Pronunciation: clark.

Alternates: Clarke, Clerk, Clerke.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Clark Mills (1810-1883)
American sculptor.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Clark Wissler (1870-1947)
American anthropologist.
Clark Kerr (1911-2003)
American educator.

Fictional Characters:
Clark Kent
Otherwise known as Superman.

Political Figures:
Clark McAdams Clifford (1906-1998)
American politician.

Singers and Entertainers:
Clark Gable (1901-1960)
American actor.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.026 % of males forenamed Clark

0.231 % surnamed Clark

Popularity of Clark:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1850: 184th most popular.
1875: 199th most popular.
1880: 236th most popular.
1881: 175th most popular.
1882: 222nd most popular.
1883: 237th most popular.
1884: 227th most popular.
1885: 245th most popular.
1886: 243rd most popular.
1887: 210th most popular.
1888: 262nd most popular.
1889: 227th most popular.
1890: 235th most popular.
1891: 269th most popular.
1892: 223rd most popular.
1893: 246th most popular.
1894: 240th most popular.
1895: 245th most popular.
1896: 237th most popular.
1897: 223rd most popular.
1898: 279th most popular.
1899: 246th most popular.
1900: 232nd most popular.
1901: 238th most popular.
1902: 356th most popular.
1903: 263rd most popular.
1904: 277th most popular.
1905: 284th most popular.
1906: 270th most popular.
1907: 324th most popular.
1908: 296th most popular.
1909: 321st most popular.
1910: 296th most popular.
1911: 333rd most popular.
1912: 259th most popular.
1913: 289th most popular.
1914: 288th most popular.
1915: 296th most popular.
1916: 279th most popular.
1917: 276th most popular.
1918: 307th most popular.
1919: 301st most popular.
1920: 330th most popular.
1921: 303rd most popular.
1922: 318th most popular.
1923: 315th most popular.
1924: 356th most popular.
1925: 355th most popular.
1926: 363rd most popular.
1927: 333rd most popular.
1928: 378th most popular.
1929: 364th most popular.
1930: 359th most popular.
1931: 357th most popular.
1932: 303rd most popular.
1933: 273rd most popular.
1934: 262nd most popular.
1935: 280th most popular.
1936: 253rd most popular.
1937: 259th most popular.
1938: 242nd most popular.
1939: 276th most popular.
1940: 273rd most popular.
1941: 264th most popular.
1942: 245th most popular.
1943: 271st most popular.
1944: 283rd most popular.
1945: 289th most popular.
1946: 282nd most popular.
1947: 280th most popular.
1948: 286th most popular.
1949: 271st most popular.
1950: 261st most popular.
1951: 268th most popular.
1952: 274th most popular.
1953: 273rd most popular.
1954: 262nd most popular.
1955: 254th most popular.
1956: 278th most popular.
1957: 300th most popular.
1958: 293rd most popular.
1959: 307th most popular.
1960: 317th most popular.
1961: 267th most popular.
1962: 271st most popular.
1963: 286th most popular.
1964: 303rd most popular.
1965: 300th most popular.
1966: 324th most popular.
1967: 344th most popular.
1968: 377th most popular.
1969: 387th most popular.
1970: 420th most popular.
1971: 454th most popular.
1972: 477th most popular.
1973: 521st most popular.
1974: 573rd most popular.
1975: 534th most popular.
1976: 581st most popular.
1977: 511th most popular.
1978: 577th most popular.
1979: 549th most popular.
1980: 531st most popular.
1981: 521st most popular.
1982: 488th most popular.
1983: 465th most popular.
1984: 480th most popular.
1985: 519th most popular.
1986: 493rd most popular.
1987: 519th most popular.
1988: 515th most popular.
1989: 519th most popular.
1990: 546th most popular.
1991: 600th most popular.
1992: 632nd most popular.
1993: 642nd most popular.
1994: 644th most popular.
1995: 621st most popular.
1996: 655th most popular.
1997: 676th most popular.
1998: 715th most popular.
1999: 718th most popular.
2000: 776th most popular.
2001: 831st most popular.
2002: 814th most popular.
2003: 801st most popular.
2004: 724th most popular.

Selected Sources:
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names - Pickering, 1999
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
A Dictionary of English Surnames - Reaney and Wilson, 1997
The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880