Clara
Learned borrowing from Latin clāra, feminine of clārus (“bright, shining, clear”), a post-classical name made famous by the 13th century Saint Clara (Clare) of Assisi.
Every Clara since 1880 — 301,540 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Clara
Clara is a top-100 name for girls in the United States, ranked #63 in 2025 with 3,601 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 301,540 American babies have been named Clara. Its peak came in 1918, when 5,800 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Clara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Clara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,601 | #63 | — | — |
| 2024 | 3,072 | #78 | — | — |
| 2023 | 2,662 | #98 | — | — |
| 2022 | 2,553 | #110 | — | — |
| 2021 | 2,693 | #102 | — | — |
| 2020 | 2,696 | #103 | — | — |
| 2019 | 2,951 | #95 | 5 | #12,522 |
| 2018 | 2,892 | #103 | — | — |
| 2017 | 3,045 | #95 | — | — |
| 2016 | 3,075 | #100 | 5 | #12,564 |
| 2015 | 3,070 | #98 | — | — |
| 2014 | 2,860 | #108 | — | — |
| 2013 | 2,508 | #131 | — | — |
| 2012 | 2,336 | #136 | — | — |
| 2011 | 2,078 | #151 | 7 | #9,814 |
| 2010 | 1,842 | #167 | — | — |
| 2009 | 1,650 | #199 | — | — |
| 2008 | 1,654 | #204 | — | — |
| 2007 | 1,555 | #225 | — | — |
| 2006 | 1,497 | #231 | 5 | #12,375 |
| 2005 | 1,332 | #246 | — | — |
| 2004 | 1,173 | #282 | — | — |
| 2003 | 1,060 | #294 | — | — |
| 2002 | 1,031 | #303 | — | — |
| 2001 | 958 | #323 | — | — |
| 2000 | 879 | #353 | — | — |
| 1995 | 662 | #397 | — | — |
| 1990 | 467 | #515 | 5 | #8,335 |
| 1985 | 357 | #554 | — | — |
| 1980 | 392 | #511 | 7 | #5,024 |
| 1975 | 337 | #522 | — | — |
| 1970 | 358 | #530 | — | — |
| 1965 | 569 | #386 | — | — |
| 1960 | 915 | #309 | — | — |
| 1955 | 1,300 | #224 | 5 | #3,968 |
| 1950 | 1,570 | #178 | 6 | #3,380 |
| 1945 | 1,800 | #136 | — | — |
| 1940 | 2,316 | #111 | 11 | #2,203 |
| 1935 | 3,067 | #81 | 14 | #1,946 |
| 1930 | 4,124 | #64 | 32 | #1,263 |
| 1925 | 4,776 | #55 | 22 | #1,638 |
| 1920 | 5,470 | #44 | 16 | #2,064 |
| 1915 | 5,285 | #38 | 20 | #1,568 |
| 1910 | 2,665 | #32 | 13 | #878 |
| 1905 | 2,397 | #22 | 8 | #940 |
| 1900 | 2,826 | #19 | 12 | #753 |
| 1895 | 2,613 | #12 | 11 | #645 |
| 1890 | 2,496 | #9 | — | — |
| 1885 | 1,910 | #7 | 6 | #850 |
| 1880 | 1,226 | #12 | 8 | #692 |
Famous people named Clara
- Clara Zetkin Politician · 1857–1933
- Clara Schumann Musician · 1819–1896
- Clara Petacci Politician · 1912–1945
- Clara Immerwahr Chemist · 1870–1915
- Clara Haskil Musician · 1895–1960
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Clara mean?
Learned borrowing from Latin clāra, feminine of clārus (“bright, shining, clear”), a post-classical name made famous by the 13th century Saint Clara (Clare) of Assisi.
How popular is the name Clara in 2025?
Clara ranked #63 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,601 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Clara?
301,540 babies have been named Clara in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Clara most popular?
Clara peaked in 1918, when 5,800 newborns received the name.
Is Clara a boy or girl name?
Clara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Clara rising or falling?
Clara is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Clara?
Well-known people named Clara include Clara Zetkin (politician), Clara Schumann (musician), Clara Petacci (politician).