Clarance Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: klair-uhns //ˈklɛərəns//
Origin: Latin; English
Meaning: Latin: bright; English: variant of Clarence
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Clarance is derived from the Latin name "Clara," which means "clear" or "bright." This Latin root evolved into various forms as it passed through different languages, including the Old French "Cler" and Middle English "Clerance." The name ultimately took on the modern form of Clarance in English, likely influenced by the phonetic shifts and adaptations that occurred during the Middle Ages. The transition into English reflects the broader linguistic changes that accompanied the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, which introduced many Latin and French elements into the English language.
Historically, the name Clarance has been associated with various notable figures and events. While specific records of individuals named Clarance are sparse, the name's roots in Clara connect it to several saints and historical figures, particularly Saint Clara of Assisi, who founded the Order of Poor Ladies in the 13th century.
This connection to religious figures contributed to the name's resonance in Christian contexts, particularly during the medieval period when names derived from saints were commonly adopted. Culturally, the name Clarance carries connotations of brightness and clarity, which have made it appealing in various artistic and literary contexts.
The symbolic associations with light and purity have allowed the name to endure through centuries, often appearing in literature and art as a representation of virtue or enlightenment. The diminutive form "Clare" has also been used historically, further linking the name to its roots and enhancing its cultural significance.
Overall, Clarance embodies a rich linguistic and historical tapestry that reflects its evolution and enduring associations.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Clarance, 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 Clarance. 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 Clarance was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Clarance has ranked as high as #789 nationally, which occurred in 1926, and has been most popular in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Louisiana.
In the past 5 years the name Clarance has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Clarance 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 Clarance was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Clarance (1960)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SC | 6 | |
| FL | 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 Clarance.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1994 | 5 |
| 1993 | 8 |
| 1992 | 6 |
| 1991 | 5 |
| 1988 | 7 |
| 1987 | 9 |
| 1986 | 9 |
| 1985 | 7 |
| 1984 | 6 |
| 1983 | 11 |
| 1982 | 7 |
| 1981 | 7 |
| 1980 | 9 |
| 1979 | 9 |
| 1978 | 7 |
| 1977 | 10 |
| 1976 | 14 |
| 1975 | 9 |
| 1974 | 6 |
| 1973 | 8 |
| 1972 | 13 |
| 1971 | 16 |
| 1970 | 19 |
| 1969 | 16 |
| 1968 | 15 |
| 1967 | 13 |
| 1966 | 23 |
| 1965 | 19 |
| 1964 | 17 |
| 1963 | 30 |
| 1962 | 28 |
| 1961 | 27 |
| 1960 | 37 |
| 1959 | 30 |
| 1958 | 35 |
| 1957 | 34 |
| 1956 | 35 |
| 1955 | 32 |
| 1954 | 35 |
| 1953 | 33 |
| 1952 | 48 |
| 1951 | 38 |
| 1950 | 51 |
| 1949 | 53 |
| 1948 | 47 |
| 1947 | 51 |
| 1946 | 58 |
| 1945 | 51 |
| 1944 | 54 |
| 1943 | 53 |
| 1942 | 47 |
| 1941 | 63 |
| 1940 | 64 |
| 1939 | 77 |
| 1938 | 75 |
| 1937 | 69 |
| 1936 | 62 |
| 1935 | 67 |
| 1934 | 91 |
| 1933 | 72 |
| 1932 | 72 |
| 1931 | 74 |
| 1930 | 104 |
| 1929 | 88 |
| 1928 | 96 |
| 1927 | 87 |
| 1926 | 109 |
| 1925 | 105 |
| 1924 | 92 |
| 1923 | 79 |
| 1922 | 101 |
| 1921 | 95 |
| 1920 | 76 |
| 1919 | 99 |
| 1918 | 86 |
| 1917 | 76 |
| 1916 | 92 |
| 1915 | 65 |
| 1914 | 54 |
| 1913 | 45 |
| 1912 | 37 |
| 1911 | 24 |
| 1910 | 20 |
| 1909 | 20 |
| 1908 | 23 |
| 1907 | 19 |
| 1906 | 16 |
| 1905 | 17 |
| 1904 | 22 |
| 1903 | 22 |
| 1902 | 10 |
| 1901 | 17 |
| 1900 | 30 |
| 1899 | 9 |
| 1898 | 15 |
| 1897 | 20 |
| 1896 | 18 |
| 1895 | 9 |
| 1894 | 9 |
| 1893 | 10 |
| 1892 | 14 |
| 1891 | 11 |
| 1890 | 8 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1888 | 12 |
| 1887 | 8 |
| 1886 | 7 |
| 1885 | 5 |
| 1884 | 19 |
| 1883 | 16 |
| 1882 | 20 |
| 1881 | 5 |
| 1880 | 8 |