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At a Glance: Name: Clare – Meaning: bright, clear – Origin: Latin (via Old French Clarus/Clara) – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: KLAIR
Clare is a classic girl's name with a vintage feel, pronounced KLAIR. It comes from Latin by way of the Old French Clarus and Clara, and it means "bright, clear." It's short, easy to say, and easy to spell.
Meaning & Origin of Clare
Meaning: Bright, clear.
Origin: Latin (via Old French Clarus/Clara).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Clare
Phonetic: KLAIR IPA: /ˈklɛr/
Popularity of Clare
Clare ranked #320 in 1884, when 38 babies were given the name, and it has slipped since then. In 2024 it sat at #949 with 276 babies, so you'll meet fewer Clares than most names on the list.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Clare Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Clare, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Clare mean?
Bright, clear. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Clare)
How do you pronounce Clare?
Clare is pronounced KLAIR (IPA: /ˈklɛr/).
Is Clare a popular name right now?
Clare peaked at #320 in 1884 and is ranked #949 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Clare? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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