Girl
Latin
2 syllables
Clara
KLAIR-ah
/ˈklɛərə/
"The bright one" — classic, luminous, and timelessly elegant
Clara is one of those names that seems to belong to every era at once — Victorian without being dusty, modern without being trendy. From the Latin 'clarus' meaning bright, clear, or famous, it was the name of a 13th-century saint who founded the Poor Clares with Francis of Assisi, a pioneering 19th-century pianist-composer, a Red Cross founder, and the lead character of The Nutcracker. Few names carry such varied distinction.
Quick Facts
Letters5
SyllablesCla · ra
GenderGirl
OriginLatin
Root WordClarus
MeaningClear, bright, famous
PopularityPopular
Peak Year2023
Trend
↑ Rising
Name DayAugust 11
Nicknames
ClareClaritaClaryClar
About the Name Clara
Clara comes from the Latin 'clarus,' meaning bright, clear, or famous. It is one of the most luminously named names in the Western tradition — carrying both visual brightness (light) and social brightness (renown).
Clara has been rising steadily and is now a top-70 US name, after decades spent outside the top 100. It is even more popular in Germany, Spain, and Scandinavia, where it consistently ranks in the top 30.
Both come from the same Latin root meaning bright/clear. Claire is the French form, shorter and more direct. Clara has the Latin ending and an extra syllable, giving it a slightly warmer, more vintage feel.
Clara Rose, Clara Grace, Clara Anne, Clara Violet, and Clara Elise are all classic, beautiful combinations that let the name's clean two syllables shine.
Clare is the most natural short form. Clary has a botanical, modern feel (sharing the name with clary sage). Clarita is used in Spanish-speaking communities.
Clara derives from the Latin adjective 'clarus,' meaning bright, clear, and famous. Saint Clare of Assisi (1193–1253) is the name's most influential bearer historically. The name was common in medieval Europe and returned to fashion in the Victorian era, when it was used across Britain, Germany, and the United States.
Personality of Clara
Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Clara
Creativity
80%
Elegance
90%
Independence
82%
Intelligence
87%
Strength
70%
Warmth
82%
Famous People Named Clara
C
Clara Bow
American actress known as the 'It Girl,' the defining female star of the silent film era in the 1920s
C
Clara Schumann
German pianist and composer, one of the most distinguished musicians of the Romantic era
C
Clara Barton
American civil war nurse who founded the American Red Cross in 1881
C
Clara
The young girl protagonist of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, who journeys to the Land of Sweets on Christmas Eve
Middle Names for Clara
Beautiful combinations that flow well with Clara
Clara Rose
Clara Grace
Clara Anne
Clara Jane
Clara Elise
Clara Violet
Clara Pearl
Clara Iris
Clara Wren
Clara Mae
Clara Elizabeth
Clara Louise
Names Similar to Clara
Similar Sound
Similar Meaning
Sibling Name Ideas
History of Clara
1193
Saint Clare of Assisi is born; she will go on to found the Order of Poor Ladies alongside Francis of Assisi, becoming one of the first women to write a monastic rule
1819
Clara Wieck (later Clara Schumann) is born in Leipzig, destined to become one of the 19th century's greatest pianists and composers
1863
Clara Barton provides medical care on Civil War battlefields, beginning the work that leads to the founding of the American Red Cross
1892
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker premieres in St. Petersburg with Clara as its heroine, cementing the name's association with wonder and Christmas magic
2020s
Clara surges back into the US top 100, part of a major revival of short, clear, vintage names
Numerology & Symbolism of Clara
8
Destiny Number
Sum of all letters
2
Soul Urge
Sum of vowels
♍
Zodiac Affinity
Capricorn
8
Lucky Number
Personal power digit
🎨
Lucky Color
Crystal White
💎
Lucky Stone
Clear Quartz
🌸
Lucky Flower
White Jasmine
Clara Around the World
How Clara is written in different languages and scripts
كلارا
Arabic
クララ
Japanese
Клара
Russian
클라라
Korean
克拉拉
Chinese
Κλάρα
Greek
क्लारा
Hindi
קלרה
Hebrew
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