Girl
Clara
bright, clear, famous
About Clara
Timeless simplicity defines Clara, a name that has graced generations with understated beauty. Its crystalline clarity mirrors its sound—clean, bright, and instantly recognizable. Clara represents a return to classic naming principles, favoring substance over trendiness. The name's two syllables offer elegant brevity, making it easy for young children to learn while maintaining sophistication for adults. Clara carries associations with intelligence, creativity, and strength, having been borne by notable women throughout history. This name pairs exceptionally well with both traditional and modern surnames, demonstrating remarkable versatility. Its familiarity provides comfort while remaining far from overused in current contexts. Clara requires no explanation, no spelling corrections, no pronunciation guides—a practical advantage in our global society. The name's gentle strength appeals to parents who value names that let the individual shine rather than the name itself demanding attention. Clara ages beautifully, never feeling dated despite its long history.
Popularity of the Name Clara
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #12 | ||||
| 1881 | #11 | ||||
| 1882 | #11 | ||||
| 1883 | #10 | ||||
| 1884 | #8 | ||||
| 1885 | #7 | ||||
| 1886 | #9 | ||||
| 1887 | #8 | ||||
| 1888 | #11 | ||||
| 1889 | #10 | ||||
| 1890 | #9 | ||||
| 1891 | #11 | ||||
| 1892 | #10 | ||||
| 1893 | #11 | ||||
| 1894 | #11 | ||||
| 1895 | #12 | ||||
| 1896 | #14 | ||||
| 1897 | #15 | ||||
| 1898 | #14 | ||||
| 1899 | #14 | ||||
| 1900 | #19 | #66 | |||
| 1901 | #18 | #90 | |||
| 1902 | #21 | #57 | |||
| 1903 | #20 | #68 | |||
| 1904 | #24 | #73 | |||
| 1905 | #22 | #77 | |||
| 1906 | #27 | #66 | |||
| 1907 | #29 | #86 | |||
| 1908 | #31 | #98 | |||
| 1909 | #32 | #73 | |||
| 1910 | #32 | #76 | |||
| 1911 | #33 | #82 | |||
| 1912 | #34 | #81 | |||
| 1913 | #36 | #105 | |||
| 1914 | #37 | #111 | |||
| 1915 | #38 | #95 | |||
| 1916 | #39 | #117 | |||
| 1917 | #41 | #100 | |||
| 1918 | #43 | #135 | |||
| 1919 | #43 | #106 | |||
| 1920 | #44 | #167 | |||
| 1921 | #45 | #134 | |||
| 1922 | #47 | #167 | |||
| 1923 | #49 | #136 | |||
| 1924 | #56 | ||||
| 1925 | #55 | #121 | |||
| 1926 | #61 | #191 | |||
| 1927 | #63 | #180 | |||
| 1928 | #65 | #180 | |||
| 1929 | #65 | ||||
| 1930 | #64 | ||||
| 1931 | #61 | ||||
| 1932 | #70 | #146 | |||
| 1933 | #67 | ||||
| 1934 | #76 | #200 | |||
| 1935 | #81 | ||||
| 1936 | #91 | ||||
| 1937 | #100 | ||||
| 1938 | #98 | ||||
| 1939 | #103 | ||||
| 1940 | #111 | ||||
| 1941 | #111 | ||||
| 1942 | #122 | ||||
| 1943 | #133 | ||||
| 1944 | #134 | ||||
| 1945 | #136 | ||||
| 1946 | #145 | ||||
| 1947 | #150 | ||||
| 1948 | #160 | ||||
| 1949 | #168 | ||||
| 1950 | #178 | ||||
| 1951 | #186 | ||||
| 1952 | #196 | ||||
| 1953 | #212 | ||||
| 1954 | #234 | ||||
| 1955 | #224 | ||||
| 1956 | #247 | ||||
| 1957 | #258 | ||||
| 1958 | #276 | ||||
| 1959 | #287 | ||||
| 1960 | #309 | ||||
| 1961 | #314 | ||||
| 1962 | #331 | ||||
| 1963 | #345 | ||||
| 1964 | #357 | #337 | |||
| 1965 | #386 | #335 | |||
| 1966 | #387 | ||||
| 1967 | #404 | #320 | |||
| 1968 | #473 | #294 | |||
| 1969 | #471 | #327 | |||
| 1970 | #530 | #283 | |||
| 1971 | #540 | #354 | |||
| 1972 | #487 | #238 | |||
| 1973 | #515 | #296 | |||
| 1974 | #529 | #274 | |||
| 1975 | #522 | #201 | |||
| 1976 | #548 | #246 | |||
| 1977 | #581 | #256 | |||
| 1978 | #594 | #283 | |||
| 1979 | #547 | #350 | |||
| 1980 | #511 | #378 | |||
| 1981 | #579 | #328 | |||
| 1982 | #562 | #313 | |||
| 1983 | #577 | #242 | |||
| 1984 | #578 | #243 | |||
| 1985 | #554 | #178 | |||
| 1986 | #527 | #265 | |||
| 1987 | #513 | #218 | |||
| 1988 | #523 | #238 | |||
| 1989 | #536 | #183 | |||
| 1990 | #514 | #179 | |||
| 1991 | #464 | #128 | #418 | ||
| 1992 | #460 | #152 | #371 | ||
| 1993 | #418 | #125 | #329 | ||
| 1994 | #427 | #396 | #154 | #316 | |
| 1995 | #397 | #120 | #248 | ||
| 1996 | #396 | #126 | #252 | ||
| 1997 | #399 | #289 | #106 | #270 | |
| 1998 | #371 | #310 | #109 | #226 | |
| 1999 | #370 | #294 | #90 | #220 | |
| 2000 | #353 | #313 | #89 | #219 | |
| 2001 | #323 | #288 | #114 | #182 | |
| 2002 | #303 | #290 | #319 | #104 | #139 |
| 2003 | #294 | #270 | #80 | #135 | |
| 2004 | #282 | #267 | #114 | #112 | |
| 2005 | #246 | #267 | #363 | #94 | #109 |
| 2006 | #231 | #257 | #81 | #85 | |
| 2007 | #225 | #226 | #370 | #84 | #76 |
| 2008 | #204 | #217 | #318 | #83 | #78 |
| 2009 | #199 | #224 | #276 | #82 | #78 |
| 2010 | #167 | #194 | #352 | #95 | #49 |
| 2011 | #151 | #204 | #317 | #90 | #39 |
| 2012 | #136 | #172 | #253 | #87 | #43 |
| 2013 | #131 | #134 | #152 | #68 | #39 |
| 2014 | #108 | #117 | #123 | #71 | #32 |
| 2015 | #98 | #94 | #210 | #71 | #35 |
| 2016 | #100 | #90 | #97 | #66 | #34 |
| 2017 | #95 | #81 | #100 | #73 | #34 |
| 2018 | #103 | #84 | #121 | #74 | #32 |
| 2019 | #95 | #86 | #126 | #61 | #28 |
| 2020 | #103 | #88 | #126 | #61 | #27 |
| 2021 | #102 | #93 | #131 | #68 | #27 |
| 2022 | #110 | #92 | #128 | #82 | #25 |
| 2023 | #98 | #91 | #101 | #67 | #31 |
| 2024 | #78 | #81 | #122 | #65 | #20 |
| 2025 | #63 | #73 | #117 | #74 | #20 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Clara
Names Similar to Clara
Nicknames for Clara
- Clar
- Clare
- Lara
- Cla
- Clary
Famous People Named Clara
| Clara Barton | American Red Cross founder and nurse |
| Clara Bow | American silent film actress |
| Clara Schumann | German composer and pianist |
| Clara Alonso | Spanish model and actress |
| Clara Lago | Spanish actress and singer |
| Clara Peeters | Flemish still-life painter |
| Clara Rockmore | Lithuanian virtuoso theremin player |
| Clara Blandick | American actress best known for her role as Auntie Em in "The Wizard of Oz" |
| Clara Amfo | British radio and television presenter |
| Clara Haskil | Romanian-Swiss classical pianist |
| Clara Paget | British actress and model |
| Clara Hughes | Australian politician and member of parliament |
| Clara Harris | American dentist and convicted murderer |
| Clara McMillen | Birth name of American writer and sexologist Dr. Kinsey |
| Clara Chung | Korean-American singer-songwriter known as "Clara" or "Coco" |
| Clara Luper | American civil rights activist |
| Clara Moto | Austrian musician and producer |
| Clara Reeve | English novelist and author of the first Gothic novel |
Characters Named Clara
| Clara Oswald | Companion of the Doctor in the TV series "Doctor Who" |
| Clara Clayton | Character from the film "Back to the Future Part III" |
| Clara Stahlbaum | Protagonist in the ballet and fairy tale "The Nutcracker" |
| Clara Johnson | Character from the novel "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett |
| Clara Morrow | Character in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series of novels |
| Clara Nightingale | Character in the children's book series "Angelina Ballerina" by Katharine Holabird |
| Clara Harris | Character from the TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" |
| Clara Abbot | Character in Jane Austen's novel "Northanger Abbey" |
| Clara Ford | Character in the novel "Ragtime" by E.L. Doctorow |
| Clara Vale | Character in the video game "Vampyr" |
| Clara Delgado | Character from the TV series "Sons of Anarchy" |
| Clara Fergusson | Character in the mystery series by Julia Spencer-Fleming |
| Clara Paget | Character from the TV series "Black Sails" |
| Clara Williams | Character in the TV series "American Horror Story" |
| Clara Temple | Character from the TV series "Daredevil" |