Clarece

Meaning & origin

Clarece is a rare 20th-century spelling variant of the classic Clarice, a name with Latin roots meaning 'bright' or 'famous.' First recorded in the U.S. in 1918, the name saw its peak year in 1928 before gradually fading from common use. According to Social Security data, Clarece has remained extremely uncommon in recent decades, never ranking in the top 1000 and maintaining a stable trajectory of very low frequency. The name is almost always given to girls, reflecting its feminized form. While no top states are associated with its distribution, Clarece fits a pattern of names popular among families who valued traditional sounds with unique spellings. Its simplicity and soft sound offer an alternative to more common Clara or Claire, though it remains a rare choice.

Clarece is a 20th-century respelling of Clarice, itself a medieval English form of the Latin name Claritia, a derivative of 'clarus' (bright, clear, famous). The name Clarice was popularized in the Middle Ages through the cult of Saint Clare of Assisi. The spelling variant Clarece saw modest use in the United States during the early 20th century, peaking in 1928.