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Why parents love Clara- Clara Barton founded the Red Cross — heroism in its purest form.
- The Nutcracker's Clara makes it synonymous with Christmas magic.
- Clara Schumann was a piano virtuoso — musical greatness.
- Five letters, two syllables — bright and bell-like.
- The meaning clear/bright describes exactly how it sounds.
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The vibe of Clara
brightclearmusicalheroicluminousvintagewarmbell-like
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Origin & history of Clara
Latin clarus (bright, clear, famous)
→ feminine Clara
→ English Clara
1
Latin roots
Clara comes from the Latin clarus, meaning bright, clear, or famous. It shares its root with Claire but has a distinctly different feel — warmer, more open. Clara Barton (1821–1912) founded the American Red Cross and was known as the Angel of the Battlefield for her Civil War nursing. Clara Schumann (1819–1896) was one of the most distinguished pianists and composers of the Romantic era. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker (1892) features Clara as its heroine, making the name synonymous with Christmas ballet. The name faded mid-20th century and has returned strongly to the US top 100.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: 13th century — Saint Clare of Assisi (Santa Chiara); Clara became common across Europe.
3
Today
Clara remains a beloved choice, ranking #98 in the US. 297,914 babies have been named Clara since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, Britannica, SSA data
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How popular is Clara?
1918
peak year
Today, Clara sits inside the top hundred (#98), with roughly 2,870 new arrivals per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1918, 5,778 babies were given the name (ranked #43 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1920s. Clara's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 297,914 babies have been registered as Clara since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
5,778
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #43)
(ranked #43)
2,870
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
28,700
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
297,914
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
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Numerology of Clara8
Life path number
The Achiever
Ambition, authority and material mastery.
Clara's Life Path 6 is the nurturer's number — perfectly aligned with a name whose most famous bearer founded the Red Cross. People named Clara tend to be warm, service-oriented, and drawn to helping others. Their brightness illuminates everyone around them.
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Illuminates others✦
Warm and service-oriented◈
Brightness without ego◎
Nurtures through action♡
Clear-headed in crisisC3
L3
A1
R9
A1
Sum: 17 → Life path 8
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Personality of Clara💼
Built for success
They don't dream of achievement — they plan for it.
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Commanding presence
They walk in and people notice.
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Strategic mind
Always three moves ahead.
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Unbreakable
Setbacks sharpen them. Resilience is in their DNA.
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Famous people named ClaraClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
C
Clara Barton
Founder of the American Red Cross, Angel of the Battlefield.
C
Clara Schumann
One of the greatest pianists and composers of the Romantic era.
C
Clara (The Nutcracker)
Heroine of Tchaikovsky's beloved Christmas ballet.
C
Clara Bow
The original It Girl of 1920s Hollywood.
C
Clara Hughes
Canadian Olympic cyclist and speed skater, mental health advocate.
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If you like Clara, you may also love◎
Names that sound like ClaraIf you love Clara, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
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Names that combine with ClaraSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Clara.
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Middle names for ClaraThe right middle name turns Clara into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Clara? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Clara →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
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