boy's name · in the US
Clarence
KLAIR-uns (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Boy (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 309,308
France
#791
2025 births
Clarence is a boy's name taken from an English dukedom, itself named for a Suffolk town. It is stable, and it now ranks 791st in France — nearly twice as high as its 1,501st position in the United States.
- Clarence is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1921, when 7,367 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 28,337 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Clarence Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 8,777 |
| 1890s | 11,949 |
| 1900s | 13,651 |
| 1910s | 49,468 |
| 1920s | 66,979 |
| 1930s | 42,958 |
| 1940s | 36,402 |
| 1950s | 29,669 |
| 1960s | 17,662 |
| 1970s | 10,792 |
| 1980s | 7,438 |
| 1990s | 4,548 |
| 2000s | 2,592 |
| 2010s | 1,795 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 743 |
What Clarence Means
Clarence means of Clare, a place in Suffolk. The dukedom's name was built from the town's, so the name records a title rather than describing anyone.
Where Clarence Comes From
Clarence comes from the Dukedom of Clarence, created in 1362 for a son of Edward III who had married the heiress of Clare in Suffolk — the Latinised Clarentia was invented for the title. The town's own name is probably from a river. The dukedom acquired a reputation: George, Duke of Clarence, was executed in 1478, allegedly drowned in a butt of malmsey wine, and Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, died in 1892 amid rumors that have attached themselves to the Ripper case ever since. The name's use as a given name is nineteenth-century and predominantly American.
Clarence in Use
Clarence peaked in the United States in 1921, when 7,367 babies were registered, and it is stable rather than falling. It now ranks 791st in France on 55 births and 1,501st in the United States on 117, across 309,308 lifetime births in three markets. Ranking roughly twice as high in France as in America is unexpected for a name taken from an English dukedom, and France is where its modern use is strongest.
How Popular Is Clarence?
In 2025, Clarence was given to 117 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Clarence 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 Clarence
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Clarence Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Clarence over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Clarence is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Boys' 0% girls · 1,399 babies
- France Both 16% girls · 670 babies
- Canada Both 15% girls · 190 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 0% girls · 79 babies
How to Say Clarence
- English KLAIR-uns /ˈklæɹ.əns/
Clarence 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 Clarence
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Clarence — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Clarence
What does the name Clarence mean?
Of Clare — a town in Suffolk, by way of the dukedom created in 1362.
Is Clarence a royal title?
The Dukedom of Clarence is, created for a son of Edward III. The given name follows from it.
Where is Clarence used?
France at 791st and the United States at 1,501st — it charts in only those two markets.
How popular is Clarence?
1,501st in the United States, and it is stable.
Is Clarence a girl's or a boy's name?
Clarence is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Clarence?
Clarence has 2 syllables.
Is Clarence a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Clarence currently ranks #791 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.