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    The first name Clarice

    A girl’s name from French meaning “poor clare”.

    Pronounced /ˈklæ.ɹɪs/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    French origin

    Clarice means “poor clare” in French.

    Borrowed from French Clarisse, from Italian Clarissa, from Medieval Latin Clarissa (“Poor Clare”); see there for more. Doublet of Clarissa and Clarisse.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 4 girls were named Clarice, making it the 4,867th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2001, with 33 births (#753).

    02040 1996200020052010201520202025
    364
    babies named Clarice, 1996–2025
    #4,867
    rank in 2025
    2001
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Clarice with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Clarice at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 52 girls born in the United States were named Clarice, the 3,111th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 600 were.

    0300600 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    25,570
    babies named Clarice since 1880
    #3,111
    rank in 2025
    1921
    peak year

    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.

    Famous people named Clarice

    6 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Clarice Phelps
      African American nuclear chemist, born 1981
    • Clarice Beckett
      Australian artist (1887-1935)
    • Clarice Taylor
      Actress (1917–2011)
    • Clarice Falcão
      Brazilian, singer, musician and actress, born 1989
    • Clarice Cliff
      English ceramic artist (1899-1972)
    • Marie-Josephine Gaudette
      American-born Italian supercentenarian, 1902–2017

    More French girls’ names

    All 210 names of French origin

    Questions

    What does the name Clarice mean?
    Clarice means “poor clare” in French.
    What is the origin of the name Clarice?
    Borrowed from French Clarisse, from Italian Clarissa, from Medieval Latin Clarissa (“Poor Clare”); see there for more. Doublet of Clarissa and Clarisse.
    How popular is the name Clarice?
    In 2025, 4 girls born in England and Wales were named Clarice, ranking 4,867th. Its peak was 2001, with 33 births.
    Is Clarice a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 25,570 US babies named Clarice since 1880 were girls.
    When was Clarice most popular?
    1921 in the United States, when 600 babies were named Clarice, its highest rank at 275th.
    How do you pronounce Clarice?
    Clarice is /ˈklæ.ɹɪs/, 2 syllables.