Clara

[ladycarlotta]

Am I right in suspecting this is on the rise? We both love it for our daughter but I keep seeing it lately, and I'm a bit worried it'll rocket up to the top ten in a few years. Maybe that doesn't matter, but I was keener on it as an elegant, classic name rather than something very trendy and dating.

I don't suppose there's much to be done after the event anyway. Have any of you found that a name you thought was quite unusual turned out to be super popular?

I don’t know if it will end up top 10 but it certainly seems to be increasing in popularity. There were 3 in the baby/toddler groups that I went to with DD.

I don’t think it’s a trendy name though or one that will date - it is too classic for that imo.

Three! That's a lot! It's tricky currently being a non-parent - so hard to know what other people are naming their kids. I suppose I still think of Sophia, Amelia and Olivia as quite unusual names, even knowing they're kind of overexposed.

one that will date - it is too classic for that imo

Most people would agree Sarah is a classic name but there's not many Sarahs around under 30 (or over 50). There can still be strong trends in names that are quite classic (I met an adult Emily in the 90s and thought it was wonderfully rare for such a classic name and now there are young Emilys everywhere).

Despite that I do love Clara but suspect Doctor Who will have made it a recent popular choice.

And the nutcracker....

I know a one year old Clara

Beautiful name but I agree I think it's about to become super popular

I know quite a few young Claras - under the age of 12. It's a really nice name, but I wonder if this sort of Victorian/Edwardian name is going out of fashion now - and the Nutcracker film is out soon, and that'll feature a Clara, I assume. I think at the moment it's too soon for Claire to be revived, but that's more classic, in my opinion, than Clara - same with Anna/Anne, Rosa/Rose, etc.

suspect Doctor Who will have made it a recent popular choice.

I'm pretty sure this explain's DP's enthusiasm for it... but she hasn't been the assistant for ages now - think if it was due to that there would have been more baby Claras five years ago. More likely it's one of those things that people have a Victorian ancestor called Clara (guilty as charged) and current tastes make this seem a classic, romantic choice rather than a staid, stuffy one.

My other favourite name was Aphra, which has been aggressively rejected.

The Nutcracker movie looks a total mess though, so I'm not too bothered about that as a cultural watershed.

You may be right! Clara is a lovely name. But I do like Aphra as well - I probably like it more - it's more unusual.

I’m not convinced Clara will become super popular (ie top 10). I considered it for DD1 back in 2010 and it’s still way down the rankings compared with other similar names which have rocketed in popularity since then.
But I could be completely wrong. I mean, why would a name like Isla rise exponentially and not Clara??

I don't know any young Claras but it seems to come up on MN quite a lot.

I find it a bit faded and of the similar names prefer Cara, Carys, Carina and even Clarissa.

However if you love it, use it - it's a perfectly good name.

I have a 5-month old Clara. We live in Sweden, though, and it ranked somewhere in the mid-30's for popularity last year. I wouldn't mind if the popularity increases, it was the right name for my baby!

I love Clara but I think it's having a bit of a moment, probably due to Dr Who, and will date because of that - like Esme after Twilight. I know two baby Claras and it crops up on regularly on these boards.

I do know several Claras. It's a nice name, but I'd prefer Clarissa (Clary) if I were having a baby girl now. In fact, I'd probably go for it.

Didn't know about Dr Who, though.

Ooh I love Clara! I wanted it for my dd but dh wasn't keen. We chose another name which we thought rare but it's making a come back!! There's no way of knowing op but just go for it if u love it.

I guess there's no controlling how popular it becomes. And it might be quite a regional thing anyway - I've been asking my local friends who have babies, go to playgroups etc and none of them know any Claras round these parts.

I don't mind her sharing a name with other children every now and then, I just don't want it to be a situation where you can't move for Claras, and it's SO 2019.

@daisypond Aphra is vetoed by my DP, sadly. He's not so fond of unusual names. I hope someone ends up using it - it's so lovely.

It was quite popular in my area when I was pregnant with dd1. It was on my two name shortlist but popularity put me off. I'm glad as whilst it's a lovely name it does seem to be getting more popular. I think the nutcracker movie will add to this as its a Disney one.

Nice name.

I wouldn't worry about how
Popular it is or isn't. Good names are popular for a reason!

Really gorgeous name that will suit all ages. I don’t know of any little ones at the moment and even if it is on the rise, I’d not be bothered because it’s just such a great name imo.

Lovely, lovely name and I waned it, but DH said nope.
That said it is gaining in popularity here in south west. But not to the extent that it is the next Ellie, Millie or Olivia.
Such a nice name though. Beautiful.

We chose a really unusuall random Victorian name for first DD, which lots of people (including our parents) had never even heard of. And I know know 3 under 5.

So you just can’t tell.

There are around 75 babies born at my work per year but no Claras.

To the person who said there aren't many Sarah's over 50, it was one of the most common names when I was at school and I'm over 50.

Tabitha??

I only know of one, it's a lovely name.

RuthW I’m pushing 60 and am a Sarah. There were a fair few in my year right through school.

Sarah was the No 1 name for girls for much of the 70s and 80s so yes, there are fewer over 50 because the name was less popular then. But it was in the top 100 for all of the 20th century, only dropping out last year so there were always some.