Clare
The medieval English form of Clara, from Latin clarus, "bright" or "renowned." The Irish county and the religious order founded by Saint Clare both carry the same name.
Clare in 2025
Clare was given to 283 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 1,763rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 11,715 babies born.
The history of Clare
Clare reached its highest point in 1999, when 512 babies were given the name, ranking 954th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 524th, in 1884.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 34,510 babies have been named Clare. Half of them were born before 1968, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation X.
Clare by decade
| Decade | Babies named Clare | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 367 | 524 |
| 1890s | 567 | 524 |
| 1900s | 747 | 583 |
| 1910s | 2,279 | 587 |
| 1920s | 3,192 | 670 |
| 1930s | 2,372 | 684 |
| 1940s | 2,492 | 808 |
| 1950s | 3,119 | 825 |
| 1960s | 2,336 | 933 |
| 1970s | 1,114 | 1,699 |
| 1980s | 2,044 | 1,274 |
| 1990s | 3,973 | 935 |
| 2000s | 4,396 | 1,008 |
| 2010s | 3,777 | 1,265 |
| 2020s | 1,735 | 1,558 |
Where Clare is heading
Clare has fallen 27% over the past decade, from 389 babies in 2015 to 283 in 2025.
Names like Clare
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Clare.