Clara

How to say it

/ˈklɛr.ə/

What it means

Latin clara, 'clear, bright, famous.' The Italian and Spanish form; the French form is Claire. Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) is the historical anchor for both.

Clara is the Latin form of the same root as Claire, from clarus ('clear, bright, famous'). Saint Clare of Assisi founded the Poor Clares order alongside Saint Francis; the name carried through Catholic Europe in both Clara and Claire forms. Clara Schumann (1819-1896) was the great pianist-composer of the German Romantic period. Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. The English Clara dipped after the 1920s and has come back since 2010 as part of the broader vintage-revival wave. The diminutive Clarissa is its own name.

Heads-up notes

• Pop culture

  Clara from The Nutcracker is the dominant child-coded reference; Clara Oswald (Doctor Who) is the modern one.

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.

• Clara Schumann German Romantic pianist and composer, Robert Schumann's wife
• Clara Barton Civil War nurse, founder of the American Red Cross
• Clara Oswald Jenna Coleman's character in Doctor Who, 2012-2017

Spelling variants

• Claire
• Klara
• Clarissa

Names with the same feeling

• Claire Clear, bright
• Audrey Noble strength
• Stella Star
• Lucy Light
• Grace Divine favor, charm

See Clara from another angle