Clara

Did you know?

A few things about Clara you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Clara

Clara Schumann

German musician and composer (1819–1896)

Choose Clara and your child shares a first name with Clara Schumann, a German musician and composer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Clara, like who?” Clara Schumann's Wikipedia article is available in 81 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Clara Schumann on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Franz Hanfstaengl, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 446 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Clara, 3,601 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Clara.
• 📜HistoryClara has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Claras, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1885, when it ranked #7. Today it's #63, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowClara is 4.6× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 2,066 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 446.
• 🚀TrendClara has climbed 40 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #63. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedClara is most popular in Nebraska, where it ranks #13, followed by North Dakota (#21) and Maine (#27). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Latin, Clara means “bright, clear”. Our records link it to German and Latin roots.

About the name Clara

Clara is a girl name of German and Latin origin meaning “bright, clear”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with C and ending in “-ara”. US birth records list Clara for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1885, when it ranked #7 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #63, with 3,601 babies.

Origin:German namesLatin names