Clare - Name Meaning and Origin

The boy's and girl's name Clare \c-la-re\. Sometimes used as a diminutive of Clarence. In Thomas Hardy's tragic novel "Tess of the D'Urbervilles", Tess falls in love with, and is abandoned by, a man named Angel Clare.

Clare has 4 variant forms: Clair, Claire, Clarey and Clayre.

Baby names that sound like Clare are Claro, Clarrie and Cleary.

Clare is a very rare male first name and a very popular surname (source: 1990 U.S. Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the boy's name Clare. Click here to compare Clare with related baby names.