Clair
Claire or Clair is a given name of French origin. The word means clear in French in its feminine form.
Meaning & Origin of Clair
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Claire or Clair is a given name of French origin. The word means clear in French in its feminine form.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Clair
As a girl name
Clair first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 66 Clairs were born — ranking #2,059 that year. As of 2026, Clair ranks #4,882 for girls with 27 births, falling sharply (-18%). In total, more than 4K Clairs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Clair first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1923, when 356 Clairs were born — ranking #295 that year. As of 2026, Clair ranks #12,015 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 12K Clairs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Clair
Phonetically similar names — useful when Clair is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clair
What does the name Clair mean?
How popular is Clair in 2026?
When was Clair most popular?
In which U.S. states is Clair most popular?
Is Clair a unisex name?
What names go well with Clair?
About the name Clair
Clair is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 12K births in the dataset. Clair's peak popularity came in 1923 when it ranked #295. Use the chart and map above to compare Clair's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1923 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.