Clara
KLAIR-uh /ˈklɛːr.ə/
Meaning of Clara
Clara is the Latin form of Claire/Chiara, all from Latin clarus — 'clear,' 'bright' or 'famous.' It is effectively the same name as Claire (French), Chiara (Italian) and Klara (German), just in its Latin/English form. Saint Clara of Assisi (born Chiara) is the patron of the name. Clara fell from fashion in the mid-20th century and has returned strongly since 2010.
How to pronounce Clara
In German: KLAH-ra. In Spanish and Italian: KLA-ra.
Current popularity of Clara
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 | #88 |
| Germany (GfdS) | 2024 | #20 |
| France (INSEE) | 2024 | #17 |
Notable bearers of Clara
Saint Clare of Assisi; Clara Schumann (composer-pianist, 1819–1896); Clara Bow (silent-film actress).
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 Clara — 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