The first name Clara
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “bright”, “shining”, “clear”.
Pronounced /ˈklɛəɹə/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Clara means “bright”, “shining”, “clear” in Latin.
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. Doublet of Clare and Claire.
More names that mean light.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 610 girls were named Clara, making it the 77th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2017, with 614 births (#87).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Clara with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Clara at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 3,601 girls born in the United States were named Clara, the 63rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 5,778 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Clara in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Clara in Catalan, Danish, German, Portuguese and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Clara
93 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Clara ZetkinCommunist activist, and advocate for women's rights (1857–1933)
- Clara SchumannGerman musician and composer (1819–1896)
- Clara BowAmerican actress (1905–1965)
- Clara BartonAmerican Civil War nurse (1821–1912)
- Clara ImmerwahrGerman chemist (1870-1915)
- Clara MorganeFrench singer, model and TV host; former pornographic actress, born 1981
- Clara TausonDanish tennis player, born 2002
- Clara HughesCanadian speed skater and cyclist, born 1972
- Clara PeetersFlemish painter (1594-1657)
- Clara Kimball YoungAmerican actress (1890–1960)
- Clara ReeveEnglish writer, novelist, translator (1729-1807)
- Clara BurelFrench tennis player, born 2001
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Clara mean?
- Clara means “bright”, “shining”, “clear” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name 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. Doublet of Clare and Claire.
- How popular is the name Clara?
- In 2025, 610 girls born in England and Wales were named Clara, ranking 77th. Its peak was 2017, with 614 births.
- Is Clara a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 301,540 US babies named Clara since 1880 were girls.
- When was Clara most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 5,778 babies were named Clara, its highest rank at 43rd.
- How do you pronounce Clara?
- Clara is /ˈklɛəɹə/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Clara?
- Klara, Clarah and Claira.
- Is Clara also a surname?
- Yes. Clara is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.