girl's name
Claire
KLAIR
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 1
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 421,468
the United States
#68
2025 births
Claire is a girl's name of French origin meaning "clear" or "bright," from the Latin clarus. It is the French form of Clara, and shares its saint — Clare of Assisi, who founded the Poor Clares in the thirteenth century.
- Claire is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in 2016, when 5,216 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 951 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Claire over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 461 |
| 1890s | 1,070 |
| 1900s | 1,967 |
| 1910s | 7,116 |
| 1920s | 15,650 |
| 1930s | 13,038 |
| 1940s | 10,497 |
| 1950s | 10,413 |
| 1960s | 5,973 |
| 1970s | 3,957 |
| 1980s | 10,896 |
| 1990s | 25,354 |
| 2000s | 39,048 |
| 2010s | 47,733 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 20,950 |
What Claire means
Claire means clear or bright, from the Latin clarus, which covered clarity of sound, brightness of light, and distinction of reputation. French kept the adjective in everyday use, so the name and the ordinary word are identical.
Where Claire comes from
Claire is the French feminine of clair, from the Latin clarus, meaning clear or bright. English took Clare first, from the medieval veneration of Saint Clare of Assisi, and adopted the French-spelled Claire considerably later — which is why all three forms, Clara, Clare and Claire, are current in English at once, each arriving by a different route and period. Claire became especially common in Britain through the twentieth century. The root is visible throughout English in clarity, clarify, clarion and declare, all carrying some sense of making something clear or bright.
How popular is Claire?
In 2025, Claire was given to 3,487 babies in the United States, ranking #68 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Claire is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Claire
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Claire also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Claire over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Claire in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Claire
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Claire — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Claire
What does the name Claire mean?
Claire means "clear" or "bright," from the Latin clarus.
What is the difference between Claire and Clare?
Claire is the French spelling and Clare the English one; both descend from the Latin Clara.
Is Claire a French name?
The spelling is French, and claire remains the ordinary French adjective for clear.
How popular is the name Claire?
In 2025, Claire was given to 3,487 babies in the United States, ranking #68 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Claire a girl's or a boy's name?
Claire is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Claire?
Claire has 1 syllable.
When was Claire most popular?
Claire peaked in 2016, when 5,216 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Claire a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Claire currently ranks #55 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.