Rising since 1986, #1,796 for girls today.
Popularity of Klara since 1884
Babies named Klara per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5 |
| 1890s | 0 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 49 |
| 1920s | 64 |
| 1930s | 24 |
| 1940s | 20 |
| 1950s | 11 |
| 1960s | 30 |
| 1970s | 32 |
| 1980s | 109 |
| 1990s | 246 |
| 2000s | 647 |
| 2010s | 1,163 |
| 2020s | 687 |
Meaning & origin
Klara, a name of Latin origin meaning bright and clear, is the Scandinavian and German spelling of Clara. It first appeared on U.S. records in 1884 and has seen a gentle resurgence since 1986, with its peak popularity in 2019. In 2025 it ranks 1796, given to about 1 in every 14,351 girls. The name enjoys particular favor in Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New York. While never breaking into the top 1000, Klara offers a classic alternative to Clara, maintaining a clear, clean sound that feels both traditional and modern. Its association with Saint Clare lends a quiet dignity, while its straightforward pronunciation (KLAHR-uh) makes it accessible across languages.
Klara is a Scandinavian and German variant of Clara, which itself comes from the Latin clarus, meaning bright, clear, or famous. The name was popularized across Europe by the medieval saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), an Italian follower of Francis of Assisi who founded the Order of Poor Ladies, now known as the Poor Clares. The name spread in Scandinavia and German-speaking countries, often spelled with a K. Klara has been in consistent use in the United States since the late 19th century but has never been extremely common.
Where Klara is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Klara” around the world
Where Klara lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Ireland
10
babies in 2025
Quebec
8
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Klar, Kla, Klari
Sibling names for Klara
Names that share Klara's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Emma, Maja, Linnea, Stella, Astrid, Heidi, Hilma, Hulda, Magda, Agata, Blenda, Hilde, Lotta, Wendelin, Aanika, Hildy, Minka, Hedi, Illona, Stina
Brothers: Oskar, Erik, Lars, Felix, Hugo, Adolf, Ernst, Gustav, Henrik, Niklaus, Theodor, Fredrik, Jaeger, Patrik, Artur, Wagner, Esben, Kaspar, Matej
