Claire
KLAIR /klɛːr/
Meaning of Claire
Claire is the French feminine of Clair, from Latin clarus — 'clear,' 'bright' or 'famous.' It honours Saint Clare of Assisi (1194–1253), founder of the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) — Chiara in Italian, the same root. The French spelling became the standard English form in the 20th century, displacing Clare.
Current popularity of Claire
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #41 |
| France (INSEE) | 2024 | #42 |
Notable bearers of Claire
Saint Clare of Assisi; Claire Danes (actor); Claire Foy (actor).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Claire — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31