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Original poster

How would you pronounce Clara?

103 replies

Thepotdog · 10/11/2024 20:08

Thinking of Clara for baby girl due early next year however I saw online that a lot of people pronounce it Claire-ah , I’ve always thought of it as Clar-ah (pronounced like Cara but with an L) now I’m in 2 minds as I don’t want to burden her with a name that gets mispronounced all the time. Is it a regional thing how it’s pronounced?

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PiggieWig · 10/11/2024 21:23

Yep, rhymes with Lara, Tara, Zara

Lovely name. Never heard Clair-a and I think if you went with that pronunciation she’d be forever correcting people

Needmorelego · 10/11/2024 21:25

To be honest when I say those two versions out loud I can barely hear a difference 🙂

topsunmaverick · 10/11/2024 21:27

I would assume Clah-ra but I do know a Clay-ra. Scotland

Swissz · 10/11/2024 21:30

Claa-Raah. It’s a lovely name!

NoCarbsForMe · 10/11/2024 21:33

I can only think of one way to pronounce it and wonder why you're even asking this question...?

Eminybob · 10/11/2024 21:36

I'm guessing those in the clair-ah camp also like to pronounce Sara as Sarah?

NoCarbsForMe · 10/11/2024 21:36

Eminybob · 10/11/2024 21:36

I'm guessing those in the clair-ah camp also like to pronounce Sara as Sarah?

That's just ignorant.
2 completely different names!

Eminybob · 10/11/2024 21:37

Excuse me?

CalliopePlantain · 10/11/2024 21:39

my great aunt was a Clair-a. I think that was the original UK pronunciation

Thischangeseverything · 10/11/2024 21:42

CherryHinton · 10/11/2024 20:11

Clar-a in the UK, Clair-a in the US I think.

I agree with this

Jennyathemall · 10/11/2024 21:44

She-ra but with a C

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 10/11/2024 21:45

My grandma who died before I was born was called Claire-ah. I have a friend with a Clar-ah

Bigredcombine · 10/11/2024 21:45

In Northern Italy it's Claire-ah. France, it's Claa-rah.

Touty · 10/11/2024 21:46

It’s a Spanish name, Clara. It’s Spanish for Claire.

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 10/11/2024 21:46

I’m in the Uk and I’m Cla-rah.

EconomyClassRockstar · 10/11/2024 21:47

Pronounce it the way you like! It's a lovely name either way.

JaninaDuszejko · 10/11/2024 21:52

I've never heard Claire-ah but I guess it's like Sarah. Interesting that that is the older pronounciation.

Clara like Sara is lovely.

UnimaginableWindBird · 10/11/2024 21:57

I've heard Americans pronouncing Tara like Terra, so it might just be an accent thing rather than a totally different pronunciation thing.

OliveHenry · 10/11/2024 21:59

I'm from Yorkshire and round here (among people 50+ like me anyway!) it would be Clair-a.

Pemba · 10/11/2024 22:00

NoCarbsForMe · 10/11/2024 21:36

That's just ignorant.
2 completely different names!

Show quote history

Sorry but Sara can either be pronounced to rhyme with Lara or the same as Sarah. Both are valid pronunciations. I could say that it's not knowing that that's actually ignorant if I was being mean...

Fostercarer24 · 10/11/2024 22:01

BashfulClam · 10/11/2024 20:18

Never heard Claire-ah, always Cla-ra. I did hear ‘Meegan’ on the US news the other day! The really pronounce some names weirdly.

And dear- drah

Pemba · 10/11/2024 22:34

Dear-drah is actually correct I think, and how they say it in Ireland? Irish name.

DoYouReally · 10/11/2024 22:36

Pemba · 10/11/2024 22:34

Dear-drah is actually correct I think, and how they say it in Ireland? Irish name.

Yes, Deirdre is an Irish name and your pronunciation is correct.

Mykittensmittens · 10/11/2024 22:44

english language ‘rules’ again here -

Clara is a different sound to Clare as the addition of the e makes the prior vowel sound it’s ‘name’ - so the a in Clare (or Claire) is an ay sound not an ar sound. E is a vowel that is special in that way. Adding it to the end of any word changes the prior vowel sound.

Therefore Clara is Cla-ra and Claire/bare/dare etc are ‘errr’ not ‘are’ - down to the e on the end.

child of an English language lecturer here!

Fostercarer24 · 10/11/2024 23:18

Pemba · 10/11/2024 22:34

Dear-drah is actually correct I think, and how they say it in Ireland? Irish name.

That’s so interesting! I never knew this and always thought the American pronunciation sounded strange. Now you say it’s Irish it actually makes more sense than dear dree