Gender Feminine
Pronounced Pron. /ˈklaː.ʁa/(German) /ˈkla.ɾa/(Spanish) /ˈkla.ɾɐ/(Portuguese) /ˈkla.ra/(Italian) /kla.ʁa/(French) /ˈklɛɹ.ə/(American English) /ˈklæɹ.ə/(American English) /ˈklɑː.ɹə/(British English)  [key·simplify]

Meaning & History

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.

As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form Clare, though the Latinate spelling Clara overtook it in the 19th century and became very popular. It declined through most of the 20th century (being eclipsed by the French form Claire in English-speaking countries), though it has since recovered somewhat.

Related Names

Rootclarus
VariantsKlara(German) Chiara(Italian) Claire(French) Clare, Clarinda, Claire, Kiara(English) Klara(Swedish) Klara(Danish)
DiminutivesChiarina, Claretta(Italian) Clarette(English)
Masculine FormsClair(French) Clarus(Late Roman)
Other Languages & CulturesKlara(Croatian) Klára(Czech) Klára(Hungarian) Klara(Icelandic) Klāra(Latvian) Klara(Norwegian) Klara(Polish) Klara(Russian) Klára(Slovak) Klara(Slovene) Klara(Ukrainian)

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   formal   upper class   natural   wholesome   refined   simple   serious  

Name Days

Denmark: August 12
Spain: August 11

Images

Depiction of Saint Clare from a fresco in AssisiDepiction of Saint Clare from a fresco in Assisi

Categories

Entry updated January 21, 2022