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Claire

French form of Clara
"bright, clear"
Brynn McKeon
By Brynn McKeon
Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Claire Origin and Meaning

The name Claire is a girl's name of French origin meaning "bright, clear".

Claire, luminous, simple, and strong, is one of those special names that is familiar yet distinctive, feminine but not frilly, combining historical depth with a modern edge. And though Claire is enjoying revived popularity, it will never be seen as trendy. Claire is also a great middle name choice.

Claire is the French form of Clara, a feminine derivation of the Latin masculine name Clarus. The French word for "clear," Claire’s meaning, is clair, and was traditionally a male name. Now the spelling is used mainly for girls, along with Clare, and occasionally Klaire or Klare.

Claire is usually seen as the French spelling of the name, while the equally appropriate Clare is English and Clair is French too. Clara, once seen as a stuffier version, has lately gained some fashion edge, primarily because it has more vintage charm and is somewhat more unusual. The Italian Chiara is another recommended choice.

Famous women named Claire include the medieval Saint Clare of Assisi (who was made the patron saint of television in 1958 because of her reputed power to see events at a distance), writer Clare Booth Luce, silent screen siren Clara Bow, and actresses Claire Bloom and Claire Danes.

There have been countless fictional Claires as well, including ideal mom Clair Huxtable, Molly Ringwald's character in The Breakfast Club, Clare Kendry in Nella Larsen's novel Passing, and characters in House of Cards, Lost, Six Feet Under, Modern Family, and the Outlander series.

# 67 in the US

Claire Rank in US Top 1000

# 61 on Nameberry

Claire Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Claire Popularity

Famous People Named Claire

  • Claire Catherine DanesAmerican actress
  • Claire Rhiannon HoltAustralian actress
  • Claire FoyEnglish actress
  • Claire CookAmerican novelist
  • (Lauren) Claire SkinnerEnglish actress
  • Claire DenisFrench film director
  • Claire TrevorAmerican actress
  • Claire GibaultFrench politician
  • Claire LabineAmerican soap opera writer and producer
  • Claire Lee Chennaultmale American military aviator
  • Claire Conner McCaskillU.S. Senator from Missouri
  • Claire ShipmanAmerican TV journalist
  • Claire McDowellAmerican silent film actress
  • Claire Elizabeth CoffeeAmerican actress
  • Claire Antonia ForlaniEnglish actress
  • Claire Victoria MarshallEnglish broadcast journalist
  • Claire MessudAmerican novelist
  • Claire TitelmanAmerican actress
  • Claire Margaret CorlettCanadian actress
  • Claire Louise EvansMiss Wales 2005
  • Claire RobinsonAmerican celebrity chef
  • Claire BuffieAmerican photographer
  • Claire Bloom (born Patricia Claire Blume)English actress
  • Claire Julien (born Claire Alys Pfister)American actress
  • Claire Elise Boucherbirth name of Canadian musician Grimes
  • Claire PettiboneAmerican fashion designer
  • Claire Alexandra WindsorCountess of Ulster (nee Booth), physician and wife of Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster
  • Claire Margareta LademacherPrincess of Luxembourg, German bioethics researcher
  • Claire Louise CoombsPrincess of Belgium, English land surveyor and wife of Prince Laurent
  • (Hazel) Claire WeekesAustralian physician and author
  • Claire YiuHong Kong actress
  • Claire EtcherelliFrench novelist
  • Claire HarrisCanadian poet
  • Claire HodgkinsAmerican violinist
  • Claire HooperAustralian comedienne
  • Claire MartinCanadian novelist
  • Claire MartinEnglish jazz singer
  • Claire Berenice RaynerEnglish journalist and advice columnist
  • Claire YarlettAmerican actress
  • Claire EnglerAmerican actress
  • Claire ZulkeyAmerican novelist
  • Claire Louise RutterEnglish operatic soprano
  • (Ronnie) Claire EdwardsAmerican actress
  • Claire Plattdaughter of American actor Oliver Platt
  • Claire Lauren RaffertyEnglish football player
  • Claire Anne RichardsEnglish singer with pop group Steps
  • Claire Erica MeilandDutch reality star

Claire in Pop Culture

  • Claire Standishcharacter in movie "The Breakfast Club"
  • Claire Bennetcharacter on TV's 'Heroes'
  • Claire Novakcharacter on TV's "Supernatural"
  • Claire Montgomerycharacter in movie "Go"
  • Claire Fishercharacter on TV's 'Six Feet Under'
  • Claire Littletoncharacter on TV's 'Lost'
  • Claire Kincaidcharacter on TV's "Law & Order"
  • Claire Dunphycharacter on TV's 'Modern Family'
  • Claire Redfieldcharacter in the 'Resident Evil' video game series
  • Claire Danverscharacter in "Morganville Vampires" by Rachel Caine
  • Claire Underwoodcharacter on TV's "House of Cards"
  • Claire Saunderscharacter on TV's "Dollhouse"
  • Claire Richardscharacter in Janet Fitch's "White Oleander"
  • Claire Keatscharacter on TV's "NCIS: Red"
  • Claire Lyonscharacter in "The Clique" series
  • Claire de Valecourtcharacter in G. A. Henty's, St. Bartholomew's Eve
  • Claire Kylecharacter on TV's "My Wife and Kids"
  • Claire Jackmancharacter on TV's "Jekyll"
  • Claire Pikecharacter in "The Baby,Sitters Club" series
  • Claire Abshirecharacter in Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife"
  • Claire Elizabeth Frasercharacter in Diana Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series
  • Claire Fostercharacter in "Does My Head Look Big in This?" by Randa Abdel,Fattah
  • Claire Ellerymain character in video game "Strange Cases: The Secrets of Grey Mist Lake"
  • Claire Farron aka Lightningmain character in video game "Final Fantasy XIII"
  • Claire Setilancharacter in video game "Magna Carta 2"
  • Claire Foleycharacter in the Professor Layton video game series
  • "Planet Claire" song by the The B,52's
  • Marie Clairewomen's magazine
  • Claire'schain jewelry and accessory store
  • Claire Greencharacter on TVs "Promised Land"
  • Claire Conyerscharacter in G. A. Henty's, Orange and Green
  • Claire Dearingcharacter in film "Jurassic World"
  • Claire Densmorecharacter from the "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" series
  • Clairecharacter from the "Hidden"
  • Clairecharacter in short story collection "Solegasm" by author Tina Tirrell
  • Clairecharacter in Lois Lowry's book "Son"
  • Clare Edwardscharacter from TV series "Degrassi: The Next Generation"
  • Claire Nuñezcharacter in the Netflix series "Trollhunters"
  • Claire Millercharacter in TV series "Lizzie McGuire"
  • Claire McLeodcharacter in Australian Tv Series "McLeod's Daughters"

Claire in Nameberry Blog Posts