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Baby names

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

Original poster

Claire - due a comeback??

86 replies

RosaSkye · 30/07/2023 17:32

I keep seeing Clara popping up here, so wondered if Claire itself was due a revival?

Obviously popular in the 80s but quite pretty to my ear and I can see it on a baby

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KirstenBlest · 27/08/2023 12:00

@Archymum , Flora is #220 in the girl's name chart for England & Wales. Hardly overused.

Claire is not much used but i know several Claires and Clares in their late 40s/early 50s.
Clara is in the top 100, but is probably said as Clah-ra not Clair-a these days.

Original poster
RosaSkye · 27/08/2023 10:38

@Archymum gorgeous! Very refreshing, although I do love the more popular names you’ve mentioned too!

OP posts:
Archymum · 26/08/2023 20:57

My DD 5 is Claire. She's the only one her age that we know. We chose it specifically because it is classic and simple but, for whatever reason, less popular right now. I never understood why anyone would want a trendy name. The whole point is to age well, in every regard. It suits her so well. I'm so happy she's not one of the many Floras or Ivys at the playground.

user1477391263 · 04/08/2023 23:15

I think that in the US, Clare is often associated with County Clare in Ireland and has sometimes been picked up by Irish Americans and therefore by others as well. Hence the different popularity trends.

yikesanotherbooboo · 04/08/2023 21:59

I love Clare and definitely think it sounds current again. Clara is nice but surely slightly over the top as far as trends are concerned.

SemperIdem · 04/08/2023 21:42

Every other late 40’s-mid 50’s woman I meet seems to be called Claire.

It’s not ready for a comeback.

usedtobeboss3 · 01/08/2023 20:57

or indeed 'with an i'... 🙄😀

Original poster
RosaSkye · 01/08/2023 20:46

I think we have more positive than negative here! Bring back Claire!

OP posts:
usedtobeboss3 · 01/08/2023 20:45

I'm a Claire, in my 50s, and I like it a lot. I think of it as feminine but strong.
My best friend at school was a Clare, but it was never a problem. I have to spell it occasionally, but it's not a big deal to say 'with an e'.
I don't know many now - in fact I can only think of one other, and she's a little older than me.

dressedforcomfort · 01/08/2023 20:25

I think Claire is a very sweet name. Definitely over-used in my generation but refreshing to hear in a little one. And it has a lovely meaning....

I loathe Clara....

Roselilly36 · 01/08/2023 02:26

I like the name Claire.

user1492757084 · 01/08/2023 02:14

Claire is lovely in every respect.
Clara is confusing in pronunciation but is on trend right now.

Hawkins009 · 01/08/2023 01:42

Certainly would be nice

continentallentil · 01/08/2023 01:40

Not yet, 2O years I’d guess, when the 60/70s Clares are in their 80s/70s

Buttercupsdaisiesdandelions · 31/07/2023 23:49

I love it. I think it's got a classic vibe.

RedToothBrush · 31/07/2023 22:58

RubyWedding · 31/07/2023 22:22

USA Baby Centre graph:

As I said upthread Claire is a weird one as the pattern for it is different in the US compared to the UK.

It the UK it peaked in the late 70s / early 80s.
In the US its almost the reverse pattern. It peaked there in the late 1920s / early 1930s.

So its following the 100 year rule quite well in the US.

And its why I don't think it will see a huge resergence in the UK just yet.

Half my midwives were called Claire/Clare. As in actually half of them. That alone is a good reason why it won't be peaking here anytime soon!

Leafblow · 31/07/2023 22:48

There's nothing pretty or nice about it to me, its just a boring sound
Clare, blare, blah, bleh

Like Barb, Phil, June, Greg, nothing interesting and pretty dated for now.

RosesAndHellebores · 31/07/2023 22:32

I think it has a classic vibe. Clara is presently in vogue. Just as Alice replaced Alison, and Helena replaced Helen.

I think Shirley, Monica, Patsy, Marian, etc., will come back, followed by Susan, Angela and Sally, then Tracey, Deborah, Lynn.

Tracey has always seemed a pretty name.

RubyWedding · 31/07/2023 22:22

USA Baby Centre graph:

Claire - due a comeback??
fairymary87 · 31/07/2023 22:22

I'm a Claire in my 30's... finding some of these comments really funny!

RubyWedding · 31/07/2023 22:19

RitzyMcFitzy · 30/07/2023 19:33

It's pretty popular in America at the moment. It'll certainly have a comeback here at some point. When the current crop of Claires are in their 80s.

I was going to say this. My friend in Boston has a Claire. I remarked that it wasn't a name you heard very often in England and she explained that it's pretty popular in the US north now

MissedItByThisMuch · 31/07/2023 22:12

I think it’s one of those strong-sounding unfrilly one syllable girl’s names that suits all ages. I love it.

Disclaimer - I am in Australia where it never really went away, I know Claires of all ages. So might be different here. Same with Sarah and Emma. Here they are classics that are always there in the background but not currently super-popular.

zozueme · 31/07/2023 22:11

I like it. It's probably not likely to make a widespread comeback just yet but I think it would make a nice unusual option at the moment.

HeidioftheAlps · 31/07/2023 22:05

Clare makes me think of the County in Ireland, the Cambridge University college and the saint.

HeidioftheAlps · 31/07/2023 21:59

I like it