Clara

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Clara

Gender: Feminine
Language: English, Spanish, Latin

Etymology:
Clara is the Latin, Spanish, and English feminine form of Clarus, a Latin name which means “Bright,” or “Famous,” or “Clear.”

History:
Clarus was a Latin name, one belonging to several early saints. Clara was the feminine form of the name.

Clara was popularized by St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), who founded the Poor Clares. Though the name never became common, it was found throughout Europe from the 13th century onwards.

The Latin Clara became the English Clare from the French Claire.

Clara, the original, Latin form of the name was not used in English-speaking lands until the 18th century, when Latinized feminine names were revived among the educated classes (Anna instead of Ann, Maria, instead of Mary, etc.). Clara was one of the most popular names of the 19th century. It declined throughout the 20th century, but rose again at the end of that century.

Clara is sometimes used as an Anglicizd form of the Scottish Gaelic name Sorcha, for they have roughly the same etymological meaning.

Pronunciation: CLAIR-ah, CLAH-rah

Diminutives:
Dutch: Klaartje.
English: Clarrie, Clarine, Claretta, Clairene.
Spanish: Clarita, Clareta.

Alternates:
Dutch: Klara.
English: Clare, Claresta, Clarinda, Clair, Claretha, Clora, Clorinda.
French: Claire, Clarette.
German: Klara.
Hawaiian: Kalala.
Hungarian: Klára.
Irish Gaelic: Clár.
Italian: Chiara, Clarice.
Latin: Clara, Clarissa (SEE BELOW).
Polish: Klara.
Russian: Klara.
Scandinavian: Klair, Klara.
Spanish: Clara.
Ukrainian: Klarysa.

Alternates from Clarissa:
English: Claris, Clairise, Clarisa, Claressa, Clarrisa, Clorissa.
French: Clarisse.
Hawaiian: Kalalika.

Surnames: Clares, Claris, Claridne, Clarridne, Clardne, Clardge.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Clara Schumann (1819-1896)
German pianist.
Clarice Lispector (1925-1977)
Brazilian novelist.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Clara Barton (Clarissa Harlowe Barton) (1821-1912)
Founder of the American Red Cross.
Clara Shortridge Foltz (1849-1934)
American social reformer.
Clara Maass (1876-1901)
American nurse who died of an experiment using Yellow Fever.
Chiara Lubich (1290-)
Italian humanitarian.

Fictional Characters:
Clara Copperfield and Clara Peggotty (1950)
From Charles Dickens’ novel David Copperfield.

Places:
Santa Clara
California

Political Figures:
Clara Zetkin (1857-1933)
German Communist.

Scientists:
Clara Marshall (1847-1931)
American physician. Worked with the Women’s Medical College.

Singers and Entertainers:
Clara Fisher (1811-1898)
English-American actress.
Clara Louise Kellogg (1842-1916)
American opera singer.
Clara Morris (1848-1925)
American actress.
Dame Clara Butt (1872-1936)
British contralto singer.
Clara Bow (1905-1965)
American actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.153 % of females named Clara
0.061 % of females named Claire
0.018 % of females named Clarice
0.014 % of females named Clarissa
0.012 % of females named Clare
0.003 % of females named Clair
0.002 % of females named Clarine
0.002 % of females named Clarita
0.001 % of females named Claretha
0.001 % of females named Clarisa
0.001 % of females named Claris
0.001 % of females named Clarinda
0.001 % of females named Claretta
0.001 % of females named Clora
0.001 % of females named Clorinda
0.001 % of females named Klara

Popularity of Clara:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 60th most popular.
1850: 43rd most popular.
1875: 16th most popular.
1880: 12th most popular.
1881: 11th most popular.
1882: 12th most popular.
1883: 10th most popular.
1884: 8th most popular.
1885: 7th most popular.
1886: 9th most popular.
1887: 8th most popular.
1888: 11th most popular.
1889: 10th most popular.
1890: 9th most popular.
1891: 11th most popular.
1892: 10th most popular.
1893: 11th most popular.
1894: 11th most popular.
1895: 12th most popular.
1896: 14th most popular.
1897: 15th most popular.
1898: 14th most popular.
1899: 14th most popular.
1900: 19th most popular.
1901: 18th most popular.
1902: 21st most popular.
1903: 20th most popular.
1904: 24th most popular.
1905: 22nd most popular.
1906: 27th most popular.
1907: 29th most popular.
1908: 31st most popular.
1909: 32nd most popular.
1910: 32nd most popular.
1911: 33rd most popular.
1912: 34th most popular.
1913: 36th most popular.
1914: 37th most popular.
1915: 38th most popular.
1916: 39th most popular.
1917: 41st most popular.
1918: 43rd most popular.
1919: 43rd most popular.
1920: 44th most popular.
1921: 45th most popular.
1922: 47th most popular.
1923: 49th most popular.
1924: 56th most popular.
1925: 55th most popular.
1926: 61st most popular.
1927: 63rd most popular.
1928: 65th most popular.
1929: 65th most popular.
1930: 64th most popular.
1931: 61st most popular.
1932: 70th most popular.
1933: 67th most popular.
1934: 76th most popular.
1935: 81st most popular.
1936: 91st most popular.
1937: 100th most popular.
1938: 96th most popular.
1939: 103rd most popular.
1940: 111th most popular.
1941: 112th most popular.
1942: 122nd most popular.
1943: 133rd most popular.
1944: 134th most popular.
1945: 136th most popular.
1946: 145th most popular.
1947: 150th most popular.
1948: 160th most popular.
1949: 168th most popular.
1950: 178th most popular.
1951: 186th most popular.
1952: 196th most popular.
1953: 213th most popular.
1954: 225th most popular.
1955: 234th most popular.
1956: 237th most popular.
1957: 257th most popular.
1958: 276th most popular.
1959: 288th most popular.
1960: 309th most popular.
1961: 316th most popular.
1962: 331st most popular.
1963: 345th most popular.
1964: 356th most popular.
1965: 386th most popular.
1966: 386th most popular.
1967: 406th most popular.
1968: 473rd most popular.
1969: 471st most popular.
1970: 532nd most popular.
1971: 541st most popular.
1972: 488th most popular.
1973: 512th most popular.
1974: 531st most popular.
1975: 523rd most popular.
1976: 551st most popular.
1977: 580th most popular.
1978: 607th most popular.
1979: 549th most popular.
1980: 513th most popular.
1981: 579th most popular.
1982: 567th most popular.
1983: 584th most popular.
1984: 578th most popular.
1985: 557th most popular.
1986: 537th most popular.
1987: 520th most popular.
1988: 543rd most popular.
1989: 546th most popular.
1990: 491st most popular.
1991: 463rd most popular.
1992: 431st most popular.
1993: 424th most popular.
1994: 405th most popular.
1995: 389th most popular.
1996: 389th most popular.
1997: 394th most popular.
1998: 373rd most popular.
1999: 374th most popular.
2000: 353rd most popular.
2001: 329th most popular.
2002: 305th most popular.
2003: 295th most popular.
2004: 285th most popular.

In France...
1900: 164th most popular.
1910: 199th most popular.
1924: 198th most popular.
1920-1980: N/A
1985: 197th most popular.
1990: 119th most popular.
2000: 15th most popular.

Popularity of Clarice:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880: 580th most popular.
1881: 623rd most popular.
1882: 678th most popular.
1883: 615th most popular.
1884: 479th most popular.
1885: 484th most popular.
1886: 508th most popular.
1887: 734th most popular.
1888: 572nd most popular.
1889: 439th most popular.
1890: 558th most popular.
1891: 483rd most popular.
1892: 480th most popular.
1893: 370th most popular.
1894: 349th most popular.
1895: 393rd most popular.
1896: 316th most popular.
1897: 362nd most popular.
1898: 374th most popular.
1899: 338th most popular.
1900: 311th most popular.
1901: 290th most popular.
1902: 286th most popular.
1903: 351st most popular.
1904: 330th most popular.
1905: 315th most popular.
1906: 285th most popular.
1907: 298th most popular.
1908: 298th most popular.
1909: 294th most popular.
1910: 287th most popular.
1911: 279th most popular.
1912: 284th most popular.
1913: 258th most popular.
1914: 301st most popular.
1915: 270th most popular.
1916: 273rd most popular.
1917: 278th most popular.
1918: 272nd most popular.
1919: 274th most popular.
1920: 277th most popular.
1921: 275th most popular.
1922: 282nd most popular.
1923: 280th most popular.
1924: 280th most popular.
1925: 271st most popular.
1926: 289th most popular.
1927: 274th most popular.
1928: 273rd most popular.
1929: 274th most popular.
1930: 279th most popular.
1931: 276th most popular.
1932: 292nd most popular.
1933: 290th most popular.
1934: 295th most popular.
1935: 311th most popular.
1936: 305th most popular.
1937: 321st most popular.
1938: 339th most popular.
1939: 353rd most popular.
1940: 377th most popular.
1941: 376th most popular.
1942: 369th most popular.
1943: 451st most popular.
1944: 445th most popular.
1945: 507th most popular.
1946: 498th most popular.
1947: 508th most popular.
1948: 515th most popular.
1949: 513th most popular.
1950: 531st most popular.
1951: 567th most popular.
1952: 508th most popular.
1953: 524th most popular.
1954: 557th most popular.
1955: 579th most popular.
1956: 666th most popular.
1957: 661st most popular.
1958: 671st most popular.
1959: 790th most popular.
1960: 786th most popular.
1961: 927th most popular.
1962: 885th most popular.
1963: N/A
1964: 969th most popular.
1965-1975: N/A
1976: 919th most popular.
1977-2004 N/A

Popularity of Clarine:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1919: N/A
1920: 941st most popular.
1921: 996th most popular.
1922: N/A
1923: 911th most popular.
1924-1925: N/A
1926: 941st most popular.
1927-2004: N/A

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)