Clara

During the Middle Ages, St. Clare of Assisi popularized her name throughout Europe. None of these women were just Clare, however. Latin records referred to them as Clara.

Clara didn't just come from Latinizing Clare. It also originated as the feminine equivalent of the Roman Clarus. In Ancient Rome, names ending in "us" for boys ended in "a" for girls. However, Clarus and Clara were often used as extra middle names rather than first names. 

Clara entered use among English-speakers in the twelfth century. As described above, women with the name went by Clare in everyday life. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that Clara was heard itself. 

Clara became popular for the first time among English-speakers during the nineteenth century. In Australia, Clara was common through the 1900s. In England, Clara was popular through the 1910s. In the United States and Canada, Clara remained common through the 1930s. During Clara's reign in popularity, several namesakes became famous. These include American Red Cross founder Clarissa "Clara" Barton (1821-1912), Soprano singer Clara Novello (1818-1908), and German composer Clara Schumann (1819-1896). Clara also became the protagonist for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, The Nutcracker.

Clara hit its low point during the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, Clara mostly hovered in the 500s. Clara then started to come back in both the United States and England. While the name is back in the top 500 in England, Clara has been moving in and out of the American top 100 over the last five years. Since Clara once ranked in the top 10, there's unclear why Clara isn't getting any more common. 

Clara is also just came back in Canada and Australia. The name has been popular in several languages as well. These include Austrian, Belgian, Danish, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swiss, et cetera. 

Clara is one of these classic names that feels old-fashioned but never completely died out. It is also cute and ladylike. The name's ladylike feel might turn liberal parents off. However, the name has also been worn by world-changing women who can serve as positive role-models for girls. 

VARIANTS:

Clare, Clarissa, Clarita, Klara

STYLES:

Artistic, Nordic, Timeless, Vintage

SISTERS:

Alice, Emma, Helen, Ida, Jane, Lucy, Marie, Phoebe, Rosa, Thea

BROTHERS:

Axel, Charlie, Edward, Felix, Henry, Leo, Miles, Oscar, Simon, Theodore

ALTERNATIVES:

Calla, Cleo, Flora, Frida, Greta, Irene, Martha, Petra, Rhoda, Thora

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Clara." Names, Behind the Name, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/clara. 

Kihm, Sophie. "Clara." Names, Nameberry, 15 Aug. 2023, https://nameberry.com/babyname/clara. 

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Clara." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 10 Jan. 2016, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2016/10/clara.html. 

What do you think about Clara?