Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Claire

110 replies

Sophronia · 24/10/2017 12:17

I never hear this on babies/children anymore. Is it too dated?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
formerbabe · 24/10/2017 17:39

Emma is still a lovely name imo. Sarah is ok. Claire does sound very dated to me.

Notalitigator · 24/10/2017 17:36

I've always found it to be quite a dull name much like Rebecca and Kelly. But, it is somewhat refreshing compared to all the Evie's and Sophia's around my way.

florapearl · 24/10/2017 17:32

here

No 6.

clary · 24/10/2017 17:30

My middle name is Clare (hence my user name, partly) it's ok, a bit dull but I think my parents wanted to balance my unusual first name.

I know a lot of adults in their 40s called Clare/Claire, so much so that if someone rings me with "It's Clare," I have to let them talk a bit longer to see if they are DS's teacher, football club secretary, DD's mate's mum etc! So on that basis, it's a bit early for a return - like Karen, julie, Tracey, Nicola.

That said, DD has a yr 11 friend called Clare, she is really lovely and bright and sweet; there is another Clare in her class actually, also a nice girl.

florapearl · 24/10/2017 17:30

There were absolutely loads of Claires at my primary. I was born 81 Smile

PandorasXbox · 24/10/2017 17:20

It’s so not 80’s. Danielle, Stacey, Chelsea are 80’s names. All the Claire’s I know are in their fifties.

DeadButDelicious · 24/10/2017 17:16

I'm an Emma. And like the Sarah above me! I do like my name but it is very common amongst women my age.

I like Claire, it's a nice name and would be unusual amongst all the Olivia's, Grace's, Eva's and Ella's.

DeadDeadDeadRose · 24/10/2017 17:06

I'm a Sarah and while I like my name, there are indeed a billion of us in our 30s. I'd be very surprised to see a toddler called Sarah, Claire too seems very 'of its time'.

florapearl · 24/10/2017 17:06

It isn't to my taste. It is very 80s. It is not really an Emma or Sarah name but a name like Lisa, Kelly, Lindsey - very plain and quite pedestrian.

Claire is just so - average.

Pemba · 24/10/2017 17:03

I like Claire (although I slightly prefer the English spelling, Clare, to Claire, which is French). It would be unusual now, and it's nicer than Clara. Simple nice sound and lovely meaning (bright or clear). Relating to that, Saint Clare is the patron saint of television - I think because she saw visions.

It's much nicer than some of the names that are fashionable now, eg Isla, Florence, Ivy.

NeepNeepNeep · 24/10/2017 16:57

What do you think of Mary? I'm sure it's due a revival.

PandorasXbox · 24/10/2017 16:53

I quite like it. I’ve got a few friends called Claire who go by the name Clairey. Sweet.

LilyPondFrog · 24/10/2017 16:16

Yes. It's dated. It's had its day IMO, along with Emma, Sarah etc.

manicinsomniac · 24/10/2017 16:09

I think it's pretty. I know dozens aged between about 27/28 and 45 but have only ever taught one (and she will now be about 19)

It will be refreshingly different.

HeteronormativeHaybales · 24/10/2017 15:11

They did go away, though. Very few people have called their dds any of those names since about the mid-1990s.

Claire is lovely. Simple, pretty, lovely meaning. :) There is often a reason why names become popular.

harrietm87 · 24/10/2017 15:09

I think it's a lovely name for a baby now - would be very unusual.

Lovelongweekends · 24/10/2017 14:47

I’m a Claire and I hate it. So plain and boring and far too many different ways of spelling it!

Ionarocks · 24/10/2017 14:44

I know a couple of Canadian babies called it recently. Might be making a comeback there?

Smoliver · 24/10/2017 13:28

I like Claire. It's short, sweet and classic. Lovely alternative to Clara, which has become popular lately.

Yeah, it was popular in the 70s/80s - it just means it'll more unique now. There are names I like that people have said are "dated" or are names from the 80s and I still like them.

Original poster
Sophronia · 24/10/2017 13:23

I like Sarah too, maybe I like dull names Grin

OP posts:
GinasGirl · 24/10/2017 12:59

I'm a Clare ( forever saying 'without the i and with the e' Grin )
Out of all the friends I have of my generation I only know two other Clare/Claire's and the most common names amongst us are Emma, Louise and Sarah.
I work in a school and there are quite a few Emma and Sarah/Sara children.

NaughtyElephants · 24/10/2017 12:51

I know an 11 year old Claire. She’s beautiful and it’s lovely to have a change from the flood of Ella, Izzy, Molly, Chloe, Olivia, Amelia etc which are all lovely but consequently popular. I think it feels dated because everyone I know called Claire aside from the one child is late 30s, but it’s actually a pretty name. Clara is also nice as the posher relative to claire Grin

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 24/10/2017 12:46

I don't know where the Emma and Sarah comment came from. They're both in the top 100.

I'm a Clare and I despise it. Ive never forgiven my parents for calling me such a dull name. I hate the fact that there's no friendly term for it eg my sister is Aimee so she can be Aim.
I also have no middle name.
Plus I was one of about 4 Clares/Claires in each class.
However all that said. I think itd be quite cool on a baby, now.

Aderyn17 · 24/10/2017 12:42

It's my daughter's middle name, so obviously I think it is really pretty. I also think that Sarah and Emma are lovely on little girls now - a refreshing change in a sra of Grace's and Ella's (which are lovely names but as overused as Sarah and Emma were in the 70's)

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 24/10/2017 12:39

I like Clare.

I think it's due a revival.

Emma never went away.