Clara
Say it: KLAR-a/ˈklɑːɹə/
GirlMeans bright, clear5 letters2 syllables
#73
in Ireland (2025)
#74 with spellings combined
70
babies in 2025
#60
best rank (2019)
2,712
babies since 1964
Down 3
10-year rank change
Clara through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 70 | #74 |
| 2024 | 83 | #64 |
| 2023 | 85 | #67 |
| 2022 | 66 | #82 |
| 2021 | 88 | #68 |
| 2020 | 90 | #60 |
| 2019 | 95 | #60 |
| 2018 | 84 | #74 |
| 2017 | 91 | #73 |
| 2016 | 97 | #65 |
| 2015 | 96 | #71 |
| 2014 | 98 | #71 |
| 2013 | 103 | #68 |
| 2012 | 76 | #86 |
| 2011 | 79 | #90 |
| 2010 | 72 | #95 |
| 2009 | 86 | #82 |
| 2008 | 81 | #83 |
| 2007 | 71 | #84 |
| 2006 | 74 | #80 |
| 2005 | 62 | #93 |
| 2004 | 45 | #113 |
| 2003 | 62 | #80 |
| 2002 | 49 | #101 |
| 2001 | 43 | #112 |
| 2000 | 49 | #89 |
| 1999 | 47 | #90 |
| 1998 | 35 | #107 |
| 1997 | 49 | #105 |
| 1996 | 43 | #124 |
| 1995 | 43 | #119 |
| 1994 | 30 | #154 |
| 1993 | 42 | #125 |
| 1992 | 34 | #152 |
| 1991 | 42 | #128 |
| 1990 | 27 | #178 |
| 1989 | 25 | #183 |
| 1988 | 16 | #237 |
| 1987 | 20 | #218 |
| 1986 | 14 | #263 |
| 1985 | 30 | #178 |
| 1984 | 16 | #242 |
| 1983 | 18 | #242 |
| 1982 | 11 | #312 |
| 1981 | 10 | #325 |
| 1980 | 7 | #370 |
| 1979 | 8 | #346 |
| 1978 | 13 | #281 |
| 1977 | 15 | #254 |
| 1976 | 17 | #244 |
| 1975 | 25 | #199 |
| 1974 | 13 | #271 |
| 1973 | 11 | #292 |
| 1972 | 15 | #237 |
| 1971 | 6 | #349 |
| 1970 | 9 | #282 |
| 1969 | 6 | #322 |
| 1968 | 7 | #287 |
| 1967 | 5 | #315 |
| 1965 | 4 | #325 |
| 1964 | 4 | #327 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Clara mean?
Bright, clear
Latin clara, feminine of clarus (bright, clear, famous).
Say it right
KLARa
KLAIR-a is also heard, especially in American English.
The story of Clara
Clara is Latin, the feminine of clarus, meaning bright, clear or famous. Several early Christian saints bore the male form Clarus, but the female name became widespread because of Saint Clare of Assisi in the thirteenth century. Clare and Claire are other forms of the same name.
Clare was a follower of Saint Francis who left a wealthy family to live in poverty, and she founded the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.
Clara was rare in Ireland in the 1960s, with only four girls in 1964, but it has grown slowly and steadily since. The most babies came in 2013, with 103 girls, and its best rank was number 59 in 2019. It is more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached 32nd in 2017 and was 39th in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Clara (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Clara (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Clara | 70 | 2,712 |
In Northern Ireland
#39 in 2025 with 44 babies. Best rank #32 (2017); 977 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.