Clarence
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Clarence
The name of the guardian angel in It's a Wonderful Life is rarely heard the rest of the year because of its studious, near-nerdy image, but this could change in the current naming climate.
Clarence for boys#1500 US
An English peerage title, Clarence enjoyed great popularity at the turn of the last century, reaching as high as Number 18 in 1900, and staying on the list until 2010. It has two prominent legal bearers--Clarence Darrow, defense attorney at the Scopes Trial, and current Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. We can thank Clarence Birdseye for the invention of frozen food. Aretha Franklin and Louis Armstrong both named their sons Clarence.
Clarence for girls
Clarence as a feminine name represents an interesting gender crossover from what is traditionally a masculine name. Derived from the Latin name Clarentius, itself from 'clarus' meaning 'clear, bright, or famous,' Clarence has a distinguished history primarily as a male name. While uncommon for girls, using Clarence for females follows a modern trend of adopting traditionally masculine names for girls. The feminine usage remains quite rare, giving it a distinctive quality. The name carries connotations of clarity, illumination, and nobility. For a girl, Clarence offers the potential nicknames Clare or Clara, which highlight its feminine potential. This unexpected gender application creates a name with both traditional roots and contemporary sensibility, appealing to parents seeking something both established and unusual.
Pronounced KLAR-ents.
As of October 2026, Clarence ranked #1500 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #17 in 1894, Nameberry popularity #669.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,027 | 197 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #1,073 | 184 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #1,211 | 156 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #1,181 | 158 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #1,119 | 173 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #1,151 | 169 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #1,325 | 135 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #1,418 | 129 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #1,366 | 137 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #1,558 | 112 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #1,558 | 111 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #1,500 | 117 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Clarence for boys
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Clarence on lists
Famous Clarences
- Clarence Charles "Ducky" NashBoy
American voice actor of Donald Duck
- Clarence ThomasBoy
United States Supreme Court justice
- Clarence "Clancy' BrownBoy
American actor
- Clarence Darnell GilyardBoy
Jr., American actor
- Clarence Anicholas ClemonsBoy
American saxophonist (E Street Band)
- Clarence Seward DarrowBoy
American trial lawyer
- Clarence Edmonds HemingwayBoy
American physician, father of novelist Ernest Hemingway
- Clarence 13X (born Clarence Edward Smith)Boy
American Islamic leader
- Clarence Clyde SeedorfBoy
Dutch footballer
- Clarence Lester "Biggie" MunnBoy
American college football coach
- Robert Clarence "Bob" IrwinBoy
Australian TV personality and son of the late "Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin
Clarence in pop culture
- Clarence OddbodyBoy
angel in movie "It's a Wonderful Life"
- ClarenceBoy
character in the game Penumbra: Black Plague
- Clarence BoddickerBoy
character in movie "Robocop"
- "ClarenceBoy
" animated series and main character
- Clarence ThreepwoodBoy
Earl of Emsworth, character in P. G. Wodehouse's Blandings Series