Declining since 2015, #68 for girls today.
Popularity of Claire since 1880
Babies named Claire per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 448 |
| 1890s | 1,013 |
| 1900s | 1,858 |
| 1910s | 6,705 |
| 1920s | 14,994 |
| 1930s | 12,639 |
| 1940s | 10,261 |
| 1950s | 10,262 |
| 1960s | 5,944 |
| 1970s | 3,943 |
| 1980s | 10,844 |
| 1990s | 25,326 |
| 2000s | 39,009 |
| 2010s | 47,728 |
| 2020s | 20,945 |
Meaning & origin
Claire is one of the steadiest names in American records, present every year since the Social Security data begins in 1880. It has never depended on a single fashion cycle: the name rose through the 1990s and 2000s on the strength of its one-syllable polish, peaked in 2016, and has drifted only gently since 2015. In 2025 it ranked 68th, reaching about one in every 461 newborn girls.
Its current strongholds are Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia, an unusual trio that hints at Claire's cross-demographic reach, equally at home in a rural township and a city rowhouse. Parents drawn to it tend to like names with the same quiet clarity: Charlotte, Nora, and Alice on the girls' side, Henry and Owen for boys.
Claire descends from the Latin adjective clarus, 'clear, bright, illustrious', through the medieval Latin name Clara. The name's great historical bearer is Saint Clare of Assisi (1194–1253), the follower of Saint Francis who founded the order known as the Poor Clares; her cult carried the name across Europe, reaching England in the Middle Ages as Clare. The French spelling Claire became the dominant American form in the twentieth century, and the name has appeared in Social Security data every single year since records begin in 1880.
Read more: Claire on Wikipedia
Where Claire is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Claire” around the world
Where Claire lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
115
babies in 2024
Ireland
11
babies in 2025
New Zealand
22
babies in 2025
Quebec
#69
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Famous people named Claire
- Claire Danes · American actress known for Homeland and My So-Called Life
- Claire Foy · British actress who played Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown
Sibling names for Claire
Names that share Claire's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Charlotte, Nora, Alice, Margot, Cecilia, Emily, Emma, Grace, Natalie, Sophie, Aimee, Amie, Annette, Audrey, Bernadette, Camille, Caroline, Darcy, Eileen, Elise, Erica, Faye, Hilary, June, Justine, Kay, Loren, Mae, Margo, Marie, Meghan, Pauline, Rae, Suzanne, Tessa, Theresa, Adelle, Aline, Alyse, Amelie, Audree, Belle, Bree, Brook, Carin, Cathryn, Claudie, Darcie, Elle, Elyse, Fay, Gillian, Halle, Jenette, Joelle, Joie, Justina, Kallie, Lainie, Larue, Leighton, Lin, Loraine, Maggie, Marin, Meryl, Monroe, Noelle, Robbin, Rue, Terese, Angele, Barrie, Becca, Cate, Elayne, Fae, Female, Laure, Lise, Mabry, Meridith, Neely, Sinclair, Alayne, Annagrace, Annett, Brette, Char, Charlet, Ciel, Cyd, Dabney, Elisse, Ellise, Elyce, Elysse, Girl, Glee, Graceanne, Graycee, Hilarie, Jeannene, Josee, Laury, Leane, Loise, Lorane, Lorayne, Marche, Mariane, Marne, Nichola, Noeli, Noell, Noemie, Renie, Rosary, Roux, See, Terre, Tresea, Valrie, Venise, Ysabelle, Abigaelle, Airel, Alisse, Ange, Bonne, Cathe, Cerise, Donne, Elain, Elynn, Evett, Eyleen, Ilyse, Jaine, Jullie, Mare, Marise, Shere, Sinclaire, Song, Taige, Annai, Annebelle, Edye, Ammi, Ayn, Charl, Charlot, Elleen, Francys, Lafaye, Lousie, Mane, Marigrace, Noele, Rease, Reene, Susane
Brothers: Henry, Owen, Bennett, Simon, Graham, Andrew, Luke, Alec, Andre, Antoine, Barrett, Brent, Brett, Cary, Colin, Damien, Francis, Grant, Harrison, Jon, Lance, Lee, Marc, Neil, Ross, Russell, Wesley, Allan, Barret, Blaise, Bo, Boone, Bradford, Brant, Bret, Brice, Brock, Cal, Carlton, Chaz, Chet, Cort, Evans, Fran, Gale, Garth, Gray, Hilton, Jacques, Kenton, Mac, Mack, Michel, Patric, Pierre, Quentin, Quintin, Rand, Regis, Sheldon, Smith, Tad, Thad, Tobin, Tod, Toney, Trent, Vance, Wes, Wilson, Blane, Cache, Corin, Cortland, Creighton, Cris, Dain, Dann, Daryn, Dutch, Foy, Gaines, Geoff, Graig, Hale, Kemp, Laurent, Lorne, Niles, Noland, Pascal, Payne, Philippe, Quin, Rhodes, Rich, Shain, Spenser, Tadd, Thayer, Truett, Whit, Blase, Boe, Boy, Brit, Calem, Carlson, Carrell, Charron, Chriss, Christop, Corde, Creig, Crist, Croix, Deno, Dillin, Edwards, Gehrig, Gregery, Hayze, Hill, Jacquel, Jeanpierre, Jorian, Joss, Kennis, Lang, Langdon, Lasalle, Lenn, Locke, Lowry, Lyon, Lysle, Marck, Martyn, Meade, Mills, Moise, Mont, Neale, Nichols, Parke, Paschal, Phill, Rainier, Renne, Roark, Roben, Spence, Stefen, Terrace, Thom, Timm, Whitt, Wray, Yates, Autrey, Baine, Bond, Bow, Cabot, Chaise, Clance, Council, Crystian, Deroy, Doak, Doctor, Dorn, Duel, Eaden, Fontaine, Garrette, Grayling, Hall, Keath, Law, Loel, Nole, Phillippe, Raife, Reyn, Rice, Roch, Roye, Wessley, Zackarie, Barett, Key, Bates, Brok, Chaunce, Coyt, Criag, Dare, Dowell, Eames, Fairley, Ison, Johathon, Lemoine, Mann, Markes, Mays, Nicoles, Philipe, Read, Reade, Witt
Names like Claire
Names whose popularity has moved with Claire's over the last 50 years.
