Girls · #68 in 2025
Claire: Meaning, Origin & Popularity
- Origin
- French form of Clara
- Meaning
- Clear, bright, or famous
- Pronunciation
- KLAIR
- Nickname options
- Usually used in full
Origin and meaning
Claire is the French form of Clara, from the Latin root clarus. Its meanings include clarity, brightness, and fame. The one-syllable English pronunciation gives this member of the name family a particularly concise shape.
U.S. popularity
Claire ranked #68 for girls in the United States in 2025, with 3,487 girls given this spelling. Its highest recorded U.S. rank was #40, reached in 2016. Historical coverage: 1880–2025. Peak refers to rank, not the largest number of births.
Source: Social Security Administration; historical peaks calculated from its national name files. Rankings count each spelling separately within the listed sex.
The Hello Baby Names take
Claire feels clean and assured. It has enough sound to stand firmly as a first name, yet leaves plenty of room for an elaborate middle name or surname. It is ideal for parents who prefer elegance expressed with very few syllables.
Things to consider
Claire and Clare sound identical in English, so either name may feel more popular than their rank alone would leave you to believe.
If you love Claire, consider…
- Clara: Adds a softer ending within the same family.
- Grace: Shares the concise, composed feeling.
- Jane: Offers another understated one-syllable classic.
- Alice: Adds a little vintage softness.
- Audrey: Brings a tailored two-syllable alternative.
- Rose: Keeps the brevity with floral imagery.
- Nora: Offers a rounder, gentler rhythm.
- Elise: Adds a more flowing, delicate finish.