BabyNameScore

Clara

KLAIR·uh · The feminine form of the Latin name Clarus, meaning "clear, bright, famous." · 2 syllables

Clara is easy for English speakers to say and spell correctly on first read.

87/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

  1. Pronunciation & Spelling

    Effortless

    A documented English pronunciation is on file: KLAIR-uh.

    91/100

  2. Everyday Use

    Low risk

    95/100

  3. Growing Up

    Strong lifetime fit

    Works comfortably across child and adult settings.

    82/100

  4. International Use

    Broad international fit

    Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.

    85/100

ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

Clara carries genuine dual historical significance: Saint Clare of Assisi, whose 13th-century founding of the Poor Clares and authorship of the first known monastic rule written by a woman gives the name deep religious weight, and Clara Barton, the 19th-century "Angel of the Battlefield" whose Civil War nursing work led directly to her founding the American Red Cross in 1881. Its more recent cultural life includes Clara Stahlbaum, the child heroine of 'The Nutcracker' ballet.

  1. Clarus (Latin). "Clear, bright, famous," the feminine form of the Latin name Clarus. Clara was borne by several early saints in ancient Rome before being decisively popularized by Saint Clare of Assisi (Chiara in Italian, 1194-1253), who left her noble family to become a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi and founded the Poor Clares, a contemplative order of nuns, at the church and convent of San Damiano near Assisi in 1212, becoming its abbess in 1216. As an English name it first appeared as Clare in medieval times; the more Latinate Clara became dominant and surged in the 1800s, then declined through most of the 20th century as it was overtaken by the French variant Claire, before recovering in recent decades.
  2. Mythological and religious contextSaint Clare of Assisi's Rule of Life for the Poor Clares — emphasizing "perfect poverty" and forbidding property ownership even by the community itself — is recognized as the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman; Pope Innocent IV approved her definitive rule just two days before her death in 1253, and she was canonized two years later, in 1255.
POPULARITY

Clara over time

United States
#63RANK

Rank #63 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Recognizable without feeling automatic. Ranked #63 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

KLAIR·uh

STRESS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE

OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
  • Claremedieval English form
  • ClaireFrench form
  • Chiara (Italian form, as used by Saint Clare herself)
PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

Short, classic-sounding, and reinforced for many children by its association with the beloved Nutcracker ballet.

INTO ADULTHOOD

As the name of a major medieval religious founder and a pioneering American humanitarian, Clara carries substantial historical weight in adult and professional contexts.

Cultural Footprint

A Latin name carrying deep religious weight through Saint Clare of Assisi, later cycling in and out of fashion against its French sibling form Claire across the 19th-21st centuries.

TRACEABLE ORIGIN
  1. Saint Clare of Assisifounder of the Poor Clares
  2. Clara Bartonfounder of the American Red Cross
  3. Clara StahlbaumThe Nutcracker

Community Impressions

Clara carries genuine dual historical weight: Saint Clare of Assisi, whose 13th-century Poor Clares order and authorship of the first known monastic rule written by a woman remain significant to this day, and Clara Barton, the Civil War-era 'Angel of the Battlefield' who went on to found the American Red Cross in 1881. Its more recent life includes Clara Stahlbaum, the beloved child heroine of 'The Nutcracker' ballet, and a real revival in popularity as it regains ground against its French sibling form, Claire.

How this name is commonly received · not used in the score

More about Clara

FORMALITY

Functions as a complete standalone name in both formal and informal contexts.

Names around it

Claire
EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Clara is spelled without unusual letter patterns, and it holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

A documented English pronunciation is on file. Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK

See how it works with a surname.

Clara