Clara

Clara is a feminine name with Latin origins. It translates to “clear," "bright," "shining," and "famous," paving the way for your child's vibrant future. This name has a distinct, vintage-chic tone that sets it apart from variants like Claire, Clare, and Clarissa. Clara takes elegance to another level, as The Bump member iris427 so aptly puts: "Clara is classic and beautiful. Cute for a girl, classy for a woman. I don't think it will ever go out of style." Clara has lived up to its famous translations through the legacy of silent screen legend and original “It Girl” Clara Bow, who defined cinema in the 1920s. Doctor Who fans might also recognize the name as belonging to Clara Oswald, the plucky companion to the 11th and 12th Doctors. There's also the character of Clara from The Nutcracker, infusing the name with a dreamy, orchestral ballet vibe.

Fun Facts About the Name Clara

• Clara's comeback: For quite some time, Clara was considered a vintage "grandma name." However, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA)'s official ranking data, Clara has officially staged a massive comeback. It broke into the Top 100 baby girl names in the US and recently made a significant 15-spot jump from #78 to #63. It is currently experiencing its highest wave of popularity since the 1920s.
• Clara's Victorian fame: While Clara feels fresh to modern parents, it is actually a historical heavy-hitter. When the SSA first began tracking baby names back in 1880, Clara wasn't just popular, it was a superstar! Throughout the entire decade of the 1880s, Clara was a permanent fixture in the Top 10 most popular girls' names in America, peak-ranking at #6.
• Clara, the original "It Girl": Clara's meanings "bright" and "famous" perfectly manifested in the 1920s with Clara Bow. She was a silent film actress who became cinema's very first "It Girl" after starring in the movie It. Her meteoric rise to fame solidified the name Clara as the ultimate symbol of 1920s glitz, glam, and youthful independence.
• Clara, the rebellious noblewoman: Though the name is Latin, its explosion across Europe in the Middle Ages is linked to Saint Clare of Assisi (born Chiara, an alternative to Clara). In the 13th century, she was a beautiful Italian noblewoman who famously refused an arranged marriage, ran away from her wealthy family, cut her hair, and founded the "Order of Poor Clares," a monastic religious order for women. Her fame caused the name to spread like wildfire in various linguistic forms (Clara, Claire, Chiara) across the continent.
• A holiday icon: Every winter, the name Clara gets a festive pop-culture revival. It is the name of the young heroine in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's legendary ballet, The Nutcracker. The ballet is performed worldwide every holiday season, so the name Clara has become permanently associated with a sense of festive magic, childhood wonder, and classical grace.