Given name & surname
Klara
“famously bright”
In English use, Klara has a related form in Clara. Clara is connected with the Latin idea of being famous, and is also interpreted through brightness.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Scandinavian use, Klara carries the interpretation “famously bright.” In English use, Klara has a related form in Clara. Clara is connected with the Latin idea of being famous, and is also interpreted through brightness.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scandinavian.
How it developed
Klara is used as a form of Clara. In English use, Klara has a related form in 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.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Klara has a related form in 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
Klara through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,087
- 0 boys · 3,087 girls
- Most popular year
- 2019
- 152 babies
- 2025
- 112
- #1,804 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 112 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,804 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 9.9% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 152 in 2019. In 2025, Illinois had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,916 as a first name in 2020; 107 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.
Klara’s family of names
Klara has an affectionate form in Klaartje. In German usage, Klara shares a linguistic root with the Armenian form Կլարա. In Polish usage, Klara has a conventional equivalent in the French form Claire.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Klara has relatives in 18 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
12 related names in 18 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 5
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Klara
- Klara Hitlermother of Adolf Hitler mi vrg (1860–1907)
- Clara ImmerwahrGerman chemist (1870-1915)
- Klara ZamenhofPolish esperantist1863–1924
- Klara BühlGerman association football playerborn 2000
- Klara RumyanovaSoviet and Russian actress and singer (1929–2004)
- Klara LuchkoSoviet, Russian and Ukrainian actress (1925–2005)
- Klara GeywitzGerman politician (1976-)
- Klara Gusevaspeed skater1937–2019
- Klara MilchAustrian swimmer (1891–1970)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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