Namebino · Girl names · Boy names

Clara

Girl's name · #63 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Popularity over time

Clara was #7 in 1885, slipped to #594 by 1978, and has climbed back to #63 today. About 301,000 girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Clara is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 51 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

Clara is especially popular in Germany.

#8 in Germany (2025) · #12 in Denmark (2025) · #15 in Portugal (2023) · #19 in Finland (Swedish-sp.) (2025) · #20 in Canada (2025) · #39 in N. Ireland (2025) · #40 in Finland (other-lang.) (2025) · #44 in Spain (2024) · #44 in Sweden (2025) · #45 in Austria (2025) · #53 in Belgium (2025) · #72 in Italy (2024) and 16 more.

Famous Claras

• Clara Zetkin — Communist activist, and advocate for women's rights (1857–1933)
• Clara Schumann — German pianist and composer (1819–1896)
• Clara Bow — American actress (1905–1965)
• Clara Barton — American Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross (1821–1912)
• Clara Immerwahr — German chemist (1870–1915)
• Clara Rockmore — Lithuanian violinist and thereminist (1911–1998)
• Clara Campoamor — Spanish politician, lawyer, writer and feminist (1888–1972)
• Clara Haskil — Romanian classical pianist (1895–1960)

In stories & tradition

• Clara Oswald — Doctor Who (TV series)
• Clara Cluck — Orphan's Benefit (film)
• Clara — The Torture Garden (book)

What Claras become

Among 1,869 notable people named Clara:

Entertainers appear 1.64× more often than among typical names — e.g. Clara Schumann, German pianist and composer (1819–1896).

Similar names: Vivian · Claire · Amara · Lillian · Callie · Stella

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service