Clare

Clare is a girl's name of French origin. Its meaning is not recorded in the standard references we check — we would rather tell you that plainly than guess. In 2024 it was given to 276 girls in the United States.

Clare at a glance

Gender
Girl name
Origin
French
Meaning
Not recorded in standard references
Pronunciation
/klɛə/
Also spelled
Clara

About the name Clare

Clare belongs to the French tradition. Its roots are documented, even though its precise meaning is not recorded in the standard references — an honest gap we prefer to a confident guess. It travels in a few spellings: Clara.

In the United States, Clare first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #320 in 1884, and in 2024 276 babies received the name — 31,172 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Clare in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#320 in 1884
Peak year
1998
Babies named Clare in 2024
276
Total since 1880
31,172

Clare in England & Wales records

First recorded (since 1996)
1996
Best rank
#200 in 1996
Babies named Clare in 2025
3
Total since 1996
1,125

Spellings & short forms

Similar names

More names from the French shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Clare mean?

The meaning of Clare is not recorded in the standard references we check. Rather than repeat an unsourced claim, we leave it open — its French origin is documented, but its exact meaning is not.

Is Clare a boy or girl name?

Clare is a girl name. In 2024, 276 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Clare?

Clare comes from the French tradition. It is also spelled Clara.

How popular is the name Clare?

Clare first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #320 in 1884, and 276 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Clare?

Clare is pronounced /klɛə/ (IPA).

Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. England & Wales figures are from the Office for National Statistics. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.