How to say it
CLAIRE
/klɛr/
Feminine
Claire
Clear, bright
What it means
French form of Latin Clara, 'clear, bright.' Saint Clare of Assisi, who founded the Poor Clares order alongside Francis of Assisi, is the historical anchor.
Claire is the French form of the Latin Clara ('clear, bright, famous'). Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) was the founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, later renamed the Poor Clares; she's a major figure in Franciscan history and one of the few medieval saints whose writings survive. The French Claire entered English through Norman influence, faded, and returned to the US top 100 in 2003. The Clare spelling is the Irish-tradition form. Single syllable, no nickname.
Popularity over time
peaked at #40 in 2016, currently #68 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
One syllable, KLAIR. Not CLAIR-uh. The Latin Clara is the two-syllable cousin.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Saint Clare of Assisi Founder of the Poor Clares, alongside Francis of Assisi
- Claire Foy British actress, Elizabeth II in The Crown
- Claire Danes American actress, Homeland and My So-Called Life
Spelling variants
- Clara
- Clare
- Klara
Names with the same feeling
See Claire from another angle
By meaning
By style