Clair Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: klair //klɛr//
Origin: Latin; French
Meaning: Latin: clear; French: bright
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Clair has its roots in the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright." This term evolved into the Old French "clair," which retained the same meaning and was used as both an adjective and a noun. The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Old French words entered the English lexicon.
As a result, Clair emerged as a feminine given name in English-speaking regions, often associated with clarity and brightness in a metaphorical sense. Historically, the name Clair has been linked to various notable figures and cultural milestones.
One significant reference is Saint Clare of Assisi, who founded the Order of Poor Ladies in the 13th century. Her influence in the Christian tradition contributed to the name's enduring presence in religious contexts.
Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and literature, reflecting its adoption across different cultures and languages. The use of Clair in English literature can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was sometimes employed to signify purity and enlightenment.
Culturally, the name Clair has been associated with themes of light and clarity, resonating with ideals of wisdom and insight. This symbolic significance has helped maintain its relevance through the centuries.
The name has also seen variations and diminutives, such as Claire, which further emphasize its roots in clarity and brightness. Overall, Clair embodies a rich linguistic heritage and cultural resonance that has allowed it to persist as a meaningful name throughout history.
Famous people named Clair
In this section, you will find notable people named Clair. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Clair who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Clair who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Clair Bee is a basketball coach best known for coaching at Long Island University and authoring the Clair Bee Basketball Series.
Clair Danes is an actress best known for My So-Called Life, Homeland, and Romeo + Juliet.
Clair McCaskill is a journalist and television personality best known for her work on PBS NewsHour and as a political commentator.
Fictional characters named Clair
The following list of fictional characters named Clair is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Clair Huxtable is a fictional character from the TV show The Cosby Show. She is the matriarch of the Huxtable family and a successful lawyer who balances her career and family life.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Clair, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Clair. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Clair was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Clair has ranked as high as #1161 nationally, which occurred in 1991, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Clair has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Clair is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Clair was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Clair (2019)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| OH | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Clair.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2023 | 28 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2021 | 26 |
| 2020 | 31 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2015 | 48 |
| 2014 | 57 |
| 2013 | 45 |
| 2012 | 56 |
| 2011 | 51 |
| 2010 | 43 |
| 2009 | 56 |
| 2008 | 64 |
| 2007 | 62 |
| 2006 | 47 |
| 2005 | 48 |
| 2004 | 41 |
| 2003 | 49 |
| 2002 | 53 |
| 2001 | 46 |
| 2000 | 50 |
| 1999 | 49 |
| 1998 | 48 |
| 1997 | 56 |
| 1996 | 57 |
| 1995 | 62 |
| 1994 | 50 |
| 1993 | 40 |
| 1992 | 59 |
| 1991 | 66 |
| 1990 | 49 |
| 1989 | 49 |
| 1988 | 65 |
| 1987 | 42 |
| 1986 | 54 |
| 1985 | 55 |
| 1984 | 41 |
| 1983 | 32 |
| 1982 | 41 |
| 1981 | 31 |
| 1980 | 22 |
| 1979 | 24 |
| 1978 | 28 |
| 1977 | 22 |
| 1976 | 27 |
| 1975 | 28 |
| 1974 | 20 |
| 1973 | 16 |
| 1972 | 12 |
| 1971 | 11 |
| 1970 | 18 |
| 1969 | 18 |
| 1968 | 14 |
| 1967 | 28 |
| 1966 | 22 |
| 1965 | 15 |
| 1964 | 26 |
| 1963 | 30 |
| 1962 | 34 |
| 1961 | 43 |
| 1960 | 33 |
| 1959 | 42 |
| 1958 | 40 |
| 1957 | 23 |
| 1956 | 30 |
| 1955 | 35 |
| 1954 | 41 |
| 1953 | 42 |
| 1952 | 40 |
| 1951 | 39 |
| 1950 | 44 |
| 1949 | 33 |
| 1948 | 37 |
| 1947 | 37 |
| 1946 | 35 |
| 1945 | 29 |
| 1944 | 44 |
| 1943 | 21 |
| 1942 | 26 |
| 1941 | 29 |
| 1940 | 30 |
| 1939 | 23 |
| 1938 | 24 |
| 1937 | 31 |
| 1936 | 19 |
| 1935 | 22 |
| 1934 | 30 |
| 1933 | 27 |
| 1932 | 32 |
| 1931 | 31 |
| 1930 | 51 |
| 1929 | 34 |
| 1928 | 48 |
| 1927 | 38 |
| 1926 | 35 |
| 1925 | 34 |
| 1924 | 22 |
| 1923 | 49 |
| 1922 | 34 |
| 1921 | 36 |
| 1920 | 40 |
| 1919 | 29 |
| 1918 | 41 |
| 1917 | 32 |
| 1916 | 33 |
| 1915 | 26 |
| 1914 | 33 |
| 1913 | 12 |
| 1912 | 17 |
| 1911 | 15 |
| 1910 | 8 |
| 1909 | 9 |
| 1908 | 8 |
| 1907 | 11 |
| 1906 | 7 |
| 1905 | 13 |
| 1904 | 9 |
| 1903 | 9 |
| 1902 | 8 |
| 1901 | 7 |
| 1900 | 11 |
| 1899 | 15 |
| 1898 | 7 |
| 1897 | 6 |
| 1896 | 10 |
| 1895 | 7 |
| 1892 | 5 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1889 | 5 |
| 1880 | 5 |