Given name & surname
Clair
“one who is bright”
Clair is used as a given name and a surname. One Latin interpretation is “one who is bright.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Latin interpretation is “one who is bright.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
How it developed
Clair is a variant of Clara. The shared background comes through Clara: Clara uses the feminine form of Latin clarus. In English, it represents a return to the Latin form alongside the established spelling Clare.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Clair is a variant of Clara. The history of Clara gives this family its wider story. Clara’s history includes English, Italian, and German use. In the Scottish Highlands, it also served as a translation equivalent of Sorcha.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Clair through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 16,351
- 12,041 boys · 4,310 girls
- Most popular year
- 1923
- 405 babies
- 2025
- 29
- #4,680 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 3% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 29 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 4,680 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 20.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 66 in 1991. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,343 as a first name in 2020; 4,375 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Clair’s family of names
In English usage, Clair as a surname has a diminutive in CLARIN. Clair has a related form in Claire. Clair has a related form in Clara.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Clairevariant · English
- Claravariant
- Clarevariant
- Clarovariant
- Saint Clarevariant
- Clarindiminutive · English
- Claerovariant
- Clairovariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Clair
- Clair PattersonAmerican chemist and geochemist (1922–1995)
- Clair EngleUnited States Senator from California (1959–1964)1911–1964
- Clair du DauphinéCatholic Saint
- Clair BurgenerAmerican politician (1921-2006)
- Clair Alan BrownEnglish botanist (1903-1982)
- Clair CooperBritish modelborn 1982
- Clar d'Albi
- Clair Tisseurarchitect and popular writer1827–1895
- Clair A. CallanAmerican politician (1920-2005)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Clair, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Clarice
“fame”
>99% girls
Alta
“to be elevated”
>99% girls
Alva
“one who has a fair complexion” · “a bright man”
24% boys · 76% girls
Augustina
“venerable; majestic”
>99% girls
Una
“one who is pure; chaste”
>99% girls
Vita
“life”
>99% girls
Zita
“patron of housewives and servants” · “little rose”
>99% girls
Ora
“one who prays to God”
5% boys · 95% girls