Holding steady.
Popularity of Clerance since 1898
Babies named Clerance per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1935, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Clerance's real moment was 1898.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 16 |
| 1920s | 59 |
| 1930s | 50 |
| 1940s | 28 |
| 1950s | 5 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Clerance is an exceedingly rare variant of Clarence, recorded only once in U.S. Social Security data: a single birth in 1898. The name has never ranked in national popularity lists, reflecting its status as a one-off spelling innovation. The peak year for Clerance was also 1898, the year of its only appearance. Its trajectory is stable at zero usage for over a century. This name belongs to a small class of late-19th-century variant spellings, and it has never occurred in any top state data. For parents considering a unique twist on a classic, Clerance offers a curious historical footnote rather than a modern option.
Clerance is almost certainly a respelling or variant of the better-known Clarence. Clarence was coined as a title name, derived from the Latin clarus meaning 'bright, clear,' and was popularized by the English nobility. The spelling Clerance emerged in the late 19th century, likely as a phonetic simplification or a mishearing. It has always been extremely rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Clay
Variants: Clarence
Sibling names for Clerance
Names that share Clerance's style, for a brother or sister.
