What does the name Claire mean?

Claire means clear, bright, famous.

Where does the name Claire come from?

Claire is a girl name of French origin.

Is Claire a boy or a girl name?

Claire is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Claire are girls and 1% are boys.

How popular is the name Claire in 2023?

Claire ranks #68 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2016 with 5,216 babies.

How do you pronounce Claire?

Claire is pronounced KLAIR (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Claire?

Claire is also written as Clara, Clare.

A name from French · Girl

Claire

Clear, bright, famous.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

205,095 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

3,200 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

CClear, bright, famous.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Claire".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Clara Most common Clare

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Claire.

C
Claire Danes (actress)

Quick answers

People often ask about Claire.

What does the name Claire mean?: Claire means clear, bright, famous.
Where does the name Claire come from?: Claire is a girl name of French origin.
Is Claire a boy or a girl name?: Claire is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 99% of children given the name Claire are girls and 1% are boys.
How popular is the name Claire in 2023?: Claire ranks #68 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2016 with 5,216 babies.
How do you pronounce Claire?: Claire is pronounced KLAIR (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Claire?: Claire is also written as Clara, Clare.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.