A method and apparatus implement reduced noise coupling effects on single ended clocks, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides is provided. A clock receiver includes a clock voltage reference that is generated from received clock peaks and valleys of a received input clock signal. The received clock peaks (VT) and the received clock valleys (VB) are continuously sampled. The clock voltage reference is set, for example, equal to an average of VT and VB; or ((VT+VB)/2).