Alternatives to Clara

From 2015 until last year, it was unclear when Clara would truly make a comeback; she was moving into and out of the top 100. This past year, though, she rose 20 spots up to #78 (her highest rise in years). 

The three major factors in Clara's widespread appeal include:

  • Peaking in popularity during the 1880s, and famous bearers from that time (including American Red Cross founder Clara Barton and actor Clara Bow), despite consistent use from before the Middle Ages. This makes her both vintage and timeless.
  • Classic storybook, fairytale, or delicate charm via Clara in The Nutcracker (particularly the ballet production).
  • Usage in multiple languages, including Spanish and Swedish, and nations. This makes her international.
With Clara poised to rise in Claire's place in the coming years, parents might already be in search of alternatives. The names below (all ranking below the top 100, ideally below the top 200) might be similar enough (partially or fully meeting at least two criteria) to win parents over:


Adele

  • Peaked in popularity within the top 200 in 1914, and consistent usage above 70 girls alongside famous dancer Adele Astaire (1896-1981)
  • Usage in Belgium, France, Italy, Lithuania, and other nations

Alma
  • Peaked outside the top 50 during the 1890s
  • Usage in Argentina, France, Norway, and other nations

  • Peaked in the top 100 during 1880, alongside namesakes such as outlaw Belle Starr (1848-1889)
  • Protagonist of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and related versions

Camille
  • Consistent ranking in the top 1000 from 1880
  • Alexandre Dumas' novel Camille, which has been adapted into a ballet production
  • Usage in Belgium, Brazil, and France alongside past usage in Switzerland

  • Consistent ranking in the top 1000 from 1880 alongside singer Celia Cruz (1925-2003)
  • Usage in Belgium, France, Puerto Rico, and other nations

Clarice
  • Derivative of Clara with consistent usage above five girls
  • Usage in Brazil alongside past popularity in France

Cleo
  • Peaked in popularity in the top 200 in 1907
  • Usage in Belgium, France, Germany, and other nations

Clotilde
  • Stepsister in the 2010 German-language production of Aschenputtel, and the forgotten French fairy tale "The Story of Little Clotilde"
  • Past usage in Brazil, France, and Spain

  • Peaked in the top 10 from the 1900s through the 1930s, alongside bearers such as actor Dandridge (1922-1965) and almost-consistent ranking in the top 1000
  • Dorothy Gale in L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz and its many adaptations (including the 1939 film)

Elisa
  • Near-consistent ranking in the top 1000 since 1880
  • Princess in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Wild Swans"
  • Usage in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Moldova, and other nations

Faye
  • Peaked in the top 200 during the 1930s alongside namesakes such as actor Faye Dunaway 
  • Delicate fairytale charm from meaning "fairy"

Flora
  • Peaked at #68 in 1880
  • Usage in Austria, France, Italy, Spain, and other nations 

Frida
  • Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, alongside Freda peaking at #161 in 1897
  • Usage in Denmark, Mexico, and other nations

  • Peaked in the top 200 between the 1880s and 1910s, alongside namesakes such as actor Goldie Hawn
  • Golden-haired girl of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

Greta
  • Peaked in popularity in 1932 and almost consistently ranked in the top 1000, alongside namesakes such as actor Greta Garbo 
  • Usage in Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Spain, and other nations

Ida
  • Peaked in the top 10 during the 1880s, alongside namesakes such as Ida B. Wells 
  • Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "Little Ida's Flowers"
  • Usage in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and other nations

  • Peaked at #16 in 1919 alongside consistent ranking in the top 1000 and namesakes such as English actor Irene Vanbrugh
  • Usage in Brazil, Italy, Spain, and other nations

Lena
  • Peaked at #41 in 1884 alongside consistent ranking in the top 600 and namesakes such as Lena Horne 
  • Usage in Austria, Germany, and other nations

  • Peaked in the top 200 during the 1880s alongside consistent usage above 70 girls and namesakes such as Little Women author Louisa May Alcott
  • Usage in Belgium, France, Germany, and other nations

  • Peaked in the top 10 in 1904 alongside consistent ranking in the top 1000 and namesakes such as Curie 
  • Protagonist of E. T. A. Hoffmann's literary version of The Nutcracker 
  • Usage in Austria, Czechia, France, Norway, and other nations

  • International form of classic Martha 
  • Usage in Bosnia, Italy, Spain, and other nations

Matilda
  • Peaked at #101 in 1880 
  • Titular young girl protagonist of Roald Dahl's children's novel
  • Usage in Chile, Finland, Italy, and other nations

Nina
  • Consistent ranking in the top 400, alongside namesakes such as singer Nina Simone 
  • Usage in Belgium, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and other nations

Olga
  • Peaked in the top 200 between the 1880s and 1920s
  • Usage in Moldova, Poland, and other nations

  • Peaked in the top 30 between the 1880s and 1890s alongside namesakes such as writer Pearl Buck
  • Gemstone associated with health and wealth, giving Pearl a precious delicacy

  • Consistent usage of 5+ girls since 1881, alongside being a feminization of classic Peter
  • Usage in Czechia, Italy, and other nations

Rita
  • Peaked at #42 in 1930 alongside namesakes such as actor Rita Hayworth 
  • Usage in Croatia, Italy, Poland, and other nations

Rosa
  • Peaked at #52 in 1880, alongside consistent ranking in the top 700 and namesakes such as activist Rosa Parks
  • Usage in Brazil, Germany, Spain, and other nations

Sylvie
  • French form of classic Sylvia
  • Lewis Carroll's Sylvie and Bruno alongside delicate feel via ballet dancer Sylvie Guillem
  • Past usage in Czechia, France, and the Netherlands

Thea
  • Short form of traditional Theodora, a feminization of classic Theodore
  • Usage in Belgium, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and other nations

What names would you add to the list?


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