Clare is a given name, the medieval English form of

Clara Clara may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Clara'' (2018 film), a Canadian sci-fi drama * ''Clara'' (2019 film), a Ukrainian animated fantasy film * ''Clara'' (TV series), a German TV series * Clara the Cow, mascot of the Greek TV show '' P ...

. The related name ''Clair'' was traditionally considered male, especially when spelled without an 'e', but Clare and Claire are usually, but not always, female. It is very often associated with the Irish

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

. That name was derived from the Irish word ('Clár') given to a small bridge that crossed the

River Fergus The River Fergus () is a river within the Shannon River Basin which flows in County Clare, Ireland. The river begins at Lough Fergus in north Clare and flows into the Shannon Estuary. The source is at Lough Fergus in the townland of Kilmore N ...

near the town of

Ennis Ennis ( , meaning 'island' or 'river meadow') is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in Cou ...

in what is now County Clare.

Women

Clare of Assisi Chiara Offreduccio (16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253), known as Clare of Assisi (sometimes spelled ''Clara'', ''Clair'' or ''Claire''; ), is an Italians, Italian saint who was one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. Inspired by the te ...

(1194–1253), saint, foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) and companion of Saint Francis * Clare of Montefalco (c. 1268–1308), Augustinian Catholic saint, nun and abbess * Clare of Rimini (c. 1260–c. 1326), beatified Poor Clare nun * Clare Abbott (artist) (1921–2008), South African artist *

Clare Abbott (equestrian) Clare Abbott (born 28 July 1986) is an Irish eventing rider. Representing Ireland, she competed at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and at the 2013 European Eventing Championships. Her current best championship result is 29th place in individua ...

(born 1986), Irish eventing rider *

Clare Adamson Clare Anne Adamson (née Pickering; born 1 August 1967) is a Scottish politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Motherwell and Wishaw since 2016. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was previousl ...

(born 1967), British politician * Clare Akamanzi (born 1979), Rwandan politician *

Clare Asquith Mary Clare Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (née Pollen; 2 June 1951) is an English independent scholar and author of ''Shadowplay: the Hidden Beliefs and Coded Politics of William Shakespeare'', in which she posited that Shakespeare was ...

(born 1951), British scholar *

Clare Athfield Nancy Clare Athfield (née Cookson) is a retired New Zealand interior designer. She was influential in using New Zealand place names to name the colours of paint for buildings. Her design input was seen in decorative motifs on architecture proje ...

, New Zealand interior designer *

Clare Atwood Clare "Tony" Atwood (11 May 1866 – 2 August 1962) was a British painter of portraits, still life, landscapes, interiors and decorative flower subjects. Atwood lived in a ménage à trois with the dramatist Christabel Marshall and the actress, ...

(1866–1962), British painter *

Clare Azzopardi Clare Azzopardi (born 5 July 1977) is a Maltese author who writes for both adults and younger readers. She has published many plays and books. One of which has recently been turned into a film. Life Born in St. Julian's, Malta, she eventually we ...

(born 1977), Maltese writer *

Clare Bailey Clare Bailey (born 18 June 1970) is a Northern Irish activist and former politician who was the Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland from November 2018 to August 2022, having been deputy leader of the party from 2014 to 2017. Bailey was a Mem ...

(born 1970), British politician *

Clare Balding Clare Victoria Balding (born 29 January 1971) is an English broadcast journalist and author. She currently presents programmes for BBC Sport and Channel 4, and previously for BT Sport. She also formerly presented ''Good Morning Sunday'' on BBC ...

(born 1971), British sports presenter *

Clare Baldwin Clare Baldwin is an American journalist. As a special correspondent for Reuters in the Philippines, she won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2018 for investigating Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs since 2016. ...

, American journalist *

Clare Buckfield Clare Buckfield (born 10 April 1976) is an English actress, best known for playing the role of Jenny Porter in the BBC sitcom ''2point4 Children'' for most of the nineties and Natasha Stevens in the CBBC series ''Grange Hill''. Biography From ...

(born 1976), English actress *

Clare Colvin Clare Colvin is a journalist and writer. She is the opera critic for the ''Sunday Express'', and a book reviewer for the ''Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily Middle-market newspaper, middle-market Tabloid journalism, tabloi ...

, British writer *

Clare Eichner Clare Eichner-Taylor (born December 7, 1969) is a retired female long-distance runner from the United States, who is best known for winning the women's 3000 metres at the 1993 Summer Universiade. Representing the Wisconsin Badgers track and field ...

(born 1969), American distance runner *

Clare Grey Dame Clare Philomena Grey is Geoffrey Moorhouse Gibson Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Grey uses nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study and optimize ...

(born 1965), British chemist *

Clare Grogan Claire Patricia Grogan (born 17 March 1962), known professionally as Clare Grogan or sometimes as C. P. Grogan, is a Scottish singer and actress. She is best known as the lead singer of the 1980s new wave music group Altered Images, as well a ...

(born 1962), British musician * Clare Hastings, British author, fashion journalist, stylist and costume designer *

Clare Hocking Clare Hocking is a New Zealand occupational therapy academic, and New Zealand's first occupation therapy professor. She is currently a full professor at the Auckland University of Technology and an honorary professor at Plymouth University. A ...

, New Zealand's first occupation therapy professor *

Clare Hunt Clare Josephine Hunt (born 12 March 1999) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a centre-back for Women's Super League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Australia national team. She has also played for the Western Sydney Wandere ...

(born 1999), Australian footballer *

Clare Kummer Clare Kummer (January 9, 1873 – April 21, 1958) was an American composer, lyricist, and playwright. Early life Kummer was born Clare Rodman Beecher in Brooklyn, New York, the granddaughter of Rev. Edward Beecher and great-granddaughter of Lym ...

(1873–1958), American composer, lyricist and playwright *

Clare Lombardelli Clare Lombardelli is a British economist. She will be the deputy governor for monetary policy of the Bank of England from 1 July 2024, and will be on the nine-member monetary policy committee (MPC). She earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy, ...

, British economist *

Clare Boothe Luce Clare Boothe Luce (; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, diplomat, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play '' The Women'', which had an all-female cast. He ...

(1903–1987), American writer, politician and ambassador *

Clare Maguire Clare Rita Mary Maguire (born 15 September 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. She was signed to Universal Music Group, Polydor Records in 2009. She was rated in fifth place in the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the top 15 most promising new artis ...

(born 1987), British singer-songwriter *

Clare Martin Clare Majella Martin (born 15 June 1952) is a former Australian journalist and politician. She was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in a shock by-election win in 1995. She was appointed Opposition Leader in 1999, and won ...

(born 1952), Australian politician *

Cläre Mjøen Cläre Grevérus Mjøen (, 5 June 1874 – 18 April 1963) was a German and Norwegian translator and women's rights activist. Early life Mjøen was born in Magdeburg, then part of the Kingdom of Prussia, in 1874. Her father Rudolph Berndt was ...

(1874–1963), German-Norwegian translator and women's rights activist * Clare Moody (born 1965), British politician *

Clare Mulley Clare Margaret Mulley (born July 1969) is an English biographer of notable women. Her subjects have included Eglantyne Jebb; Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville; Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg; and Elżbieta Zawacka. Life Cl ...

(born 1969), British author and historian *

Clare Nasir Clare Lyn Nasir (born 20 June 1970) is an English meteorologist, author, and TV presenter. Early life Born in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Nasir's family is musical, with Nasir playing the saxophone, while three of her brothers are profess ...

(born 1970), British meteorologist *

Clare Nott Clare Nott (née Burzynski, born 11 August 1986) is a former Australian 1 point player, 1.0 point wheelchair basketball player who played for the Kilsyth Cobras in the Women's national Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL) and for the Red Dust ...

(born 1986), Australian wheelchair basketball player * Clare Nowland (1928–2023), Australian nonagenarian who died after being tasered by police * Clare Parnell (born 1970), British astrophysicist and applied mathematician *

Clare Polkinghorne Clare Elizabeth Polkinghorne (born 1 February 1989) is an Australian former professional soccer player who played as a defender. On 2 October 2024 she announced her retirement from international football, and played her last game for the Mati ...

(born 1989), Australian footballer *

Clare Potter Clare Potter was a fashion designer who was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1903. In the 1930s she was one of the first American fashion designers to be promoted as an individual design talent. Working under her elided name Clarepotter, she ha ...

(1903–1999), American fashion designer *

Clare Short Clare Short (born 15 February 1946) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for International Development from 1997 to 2003. Short began her career as a civil servant. A member of the Labour Party until 2006, she was Member o ...

(born 1948), British politician *

Clare Twomey Clare Twomey (born 1968 in Ipswich) is a London-based visual artist, curator and researcher, working in performance, serial production, and site-specific installation. Her practice encompasses site-specific installation and performance; she fr ...

(born 1968), British artist * Clare Venema, Australian model *

Clare Wheatley Clare Wheatley (born 4 February 1971) is a football administrator and former player for Arsenal Ladies who played as a wing back. Playing career Wheatley started playing football at her grammar school before the school banned its pupils from ...

(born 1971), British football player and administrator *

Clare Wheeler Clare May Wheeler (born 14 January 1998) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Everton and the Australia national team. She has represented Australia on the under-20 team. Early ...

(born 1998), Australian footballer

Men

Clare Hibbs Armstrong Clare Hibbs Armstrong (January 23, 1894 – July 12, 1969) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he was the commanding officer of the 50th A ...

(1894–1969), United States Army general *

Clare Berryhill Clare L. Berryhill (December 4, 1925 – March 18, 1996) was an American politician. Berryhill was born in Fresno County, California. He lived in Ceres, California, and was a grape grower. He served in the California State Assembly from 196 ...

(1925–1996), American politician *

Clare Briggs Clare A. Briggs (August 5, 1875 – January 3, 1930) was an early American comic strip artist who rose to fame in 1904 with his strip ''A. Piker Clerk''. Briggs was best known for his later comic strips ''When a Feller Needs a Friend'', ''Ain't It ...

(1875–1930), American comic strip artist *

Clare Bice Albert Clare Bice (January 24, 1909 – May 18, 1976) was a Canadian artist, curator, and children's book author/illustrator. He was curator/director of what is now called Museum London from 1940 to 1972. In his long-term stay, he was not un ...

(1909–1976), Canadian artist *

Clare Barnes Jr. Clarence A. Barnes Jr. (usually referred to as Clare Barnes Jr. during his days as a popular author) (c. 1907 – February 2, 1992) was an American author and advertising agency art director. He was best known for his series of books, starting in ...

(1907–1992), American author and art director * Clare Baker (1885–1947), English cricketer *

Clare Carlson Clare Carlson is an American politician from North Dakota who previously served as the North Dakota State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development. Carlson was appointed to the position by President D ...

, American politician *

Clare Drake Clare James Drake (October 9, 1928 – May 13, 2018) was a Canadian ice hockey coach. He was the most successful coach in Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's hockey history. In 28 years as the head coach of the University of Alberta men's ice ...

(1928–2018), Canadian retired ice hockey head coach *

Clare Victor Dwiggins Clare Victor Dwiggins (June 16, 1874 – October 26, 1958) was an American cartoonist who signed his work Dwig. Dwiggins created a number of comic strips and comic strip#Cartoon panels, single-panel cartoons for various American newspapers and pri ...

(1874–1958), American cartoonist and illustrator *

Clare Exelby Clare Exelby (born November 5, 1938) is a former Canadian football player who played for the Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes. Exelby's son, Randy Exelby, is a former NHL player and grandson, Kyle Capobianco, currently ...

(born 1938), Canadian football player *

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorat ...

(1928–2012), American musician *

Clare Ford Sir Francis Clare Ford (4 June 1828 – 31 January 1899) was an English diplomat from London. Ford was born at was born at 32 Upper Brook Street, London, and was the son of writer Richard Ford and his wife, Harriet. He was commissioned a lieu ...

(1828–1899), English diplomat *

Clare G. Fenerty Clare Gerald Fenerty (July 25, 1895 – July 1, 1952) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, all four of Fenerty's grandparents were Irish immigrants ...

(1895–1952), American politician *

Clare Grundman Clare (Ewing) Grundman (May 11, 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio – June 15, 1996 in South Salem, New York) was an American composer and arranger.Raoul F. Camus, ''Grove online'' Biography He was born in Cleveland and graduated from Shaw High School ...

(1913–1996), American composer and arranger *

Clare W. Graves Clare W. Graves (December 21, 1914 – January 3, 1986) was a professor of psychology and originator of the '' emergent cyclical theory'' of adult human development, aspects of which were later popularised as ''Spiral Dynamics''. He was born in ...

(1914–1986), American professor of psychology * Clare Hunter (1886–1940), American football and basketball coach *

Clare Hoffman Clare Eugene Hoffman (September 10, 1875 – November 3, 1967) was a United States representative from Michigan's 4th congressional district. Background Hoffman was born in Vicksburg, Union County, Pennsylvania, where he attended the public s ...

(1875–1967), United States Representative from Michigan's 4th congressional district *

Clare Jacobs Clare Stephen Jacobs (February 18, 1886 – February 21, 1971) was an accomplished businessman, yacht racer, and American track athlete who competed mainly in the pole vault and won an Olympic Bronze medal in the sport in 1908. He was born in Ma ...

(1886–1971), American pole vaulter * Clare Laking (1899–2005), Canadian veteran of the First World War *

Clare Mapledoram Clare Edgar Mapledoram (March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1983) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1951 to 1959 who represented the northern Ontario riding o ...

(1903–1983), Canadian politician * George "Clare" Martin (1922–1980), Canadian ice hockey player *

Clare Magee Clare Magee (March 31, 1899 – August 7, 1969) was an American lawyer and politician from Missouri who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1953. Early life and education Born on a farm in Putnam County ...

(1899–1969), American lawyer and politician *

Clare MacKichan Clare M. "Mac" MacKichan (/mækˈkiː.kæn/, March 10, 1918 – February 10, 1996) was an automotive designer and executive with General Motors (GM). He is best known for designing or overseeing the design of several significant models for the Ch ...

(1918–1996), American engineer and automobile designer *

Clare Patterson Lorenzo Clare Patterson (October 5, 1887 – March 28, 1913) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete ...

(1887–1913), American outfielder and baseball *

Clare Purcell Clare Purcell (17 November 1884 – 8 February 1964) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Methodist Church, elected in 1938. Birth and family Clare was born 17 November 1884, the youngest of six children of Wil ...

(1884–1964), American bishop *

Clare Randolph Clare Loring "Dutch" Randolph (May 2, 1907 – December 24, 1972) was an American professional football player who was a center and linebacker for seven seasons for the Chicago Cardinals and the Portsmouth Spartans, as well as Portsmouth's succ ...

(1907–1972), American football player *

Clare Raglan Clarence Eldon "Rags" Raglan (September 4, 1927 – April 15, 2002) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 100 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks between 1950 and 1953. The ...

(1927–2002), Canadian ice hockey player *

Clare Sewell Read Clare Sewell Read (6 November 1826 – 21 August 1905) was a British agriculturist and Conservative politician. Early life He was born in 1826 in Ketteringham, Norfolk, and was the eldest son of George Read of Barton Bendish Hall, and his wif ...

(1826–1905), British agriculturist and politician *

Clare Retan Clare Arthur Retan (June 8, 1888July 1, 1931) was a Michigan lawyer. Early life Retan was born on June 8, 1888, in Hudson, Michigan, to parents Frank Arthur and Florence Agnes Retan. Education Retan graduated from the University of Michigan La ...

(1888–1931), American lawyer and politician * Clare Smith (born 1933), Canadian ice hockey player *

Clare H. Timberlake Clare Hayes Timberlake (October 29, 1907 – February 22, 1982) was an American diplomat and career Foreign Service Officer who served as the first United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and later as special assistant to ...

(1907–1982), American diplomat *

Clare Wakshinski Clarence Walter Wakshinski (born April 14, 1936) was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 600 games in the Eastern Hockey League The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league. Eastern Amateur Ho ...

(born 1936), Canadian professional hockey player *

Clare Woolwine Clare Wharton Woolwine (September 1, 1888 – October 4, 1939) was an American politician who served in the California legislature representing the 63rd Assembly District from 1927 to 1931 and the 44th district from 1933 to 1935. During World ...

(1888–1939), American politician *

Clare Westcott Clarence Howard Westcott (born June 17, 1924) was a long-time political aide to Ontario Premier Bill Davis and subsequently served as chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission. One of his nine children was the late Canadian-New Zealan ...

(born 1924), Canadian politician * Clare Jack Wheeler (1908–1990), American football player * Clare Wilson (1886–1917), English professional footballer

Fictional characters

* Clare, the

main character A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

from the manga and anime ''

Claymore A claymore (; from , "great sword") is either the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed sword or the Scottish variant of the basket-hilted sword. The former is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sloping quillons with ...

'' * Clare ''(Power Rangers)'', in the series ''Power Rangers: Mystic Force'' * Clare, in the British comic strip ''

Clare in the Community ''Clare in the Community'' is a British radio comedy series, broadcast on BBC Radio 4, starring Sally Phillips as Clare. It was adapted from the comic strip of the same name which appeared in ''The Guardian'' newspaper, written by Harry Venning ...

'' * Clare Abshire in the novel ''

The Time Traveler's Wife ''The Time Traveler's Wife'' is the debut novel by American author Audrey Niffenegger, published in 2003. It is a love story about Henry, a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about Clare, his wife, an a ...

'' by Audrey Niffenegger * Clare Arnold in the 1990s television drama ''

Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to as ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling via his production company Spelling Television. The series ran for 10 seasons on Fo ...

'' * Clare Bleecker in

Don Roff Don Roff (born December 13, 1966, in Walla Walla, Washington) is a writer and filmmaker. Roff grew up in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. He worked at the local drive-in theater and made Super 8 mm and VHS movies with his neighborhood friends. He grad ...

's novel ''Clare at Sixteen'', its sequels and a movie adaptation *

Clare Devine Clare Devine (also Cunningham and Devine-Banks) is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Gemma Bissix and Samantha Rowley. Bissix reprised the role in 2009 for the culmination of Warren Fox ( Jami ...

in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' * Clare Devlin in ''

Derry Girls ''Derry Girls'' is a British-produced period teen sitcom set in Derry, Northern Ireland, created and written by Lisa McGee, that premiered on 4 January 2018 on Channel 4 and ran for three series. The channel's most successful comedy since '' ...

'' *

Clare Edwards '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' is a Canadian teen drama television series created by Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore. ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' is the fourth entry of the ''Degrassi'' television franchise created by Schuyler and Kit Ho ...

in the Canadian television drama ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' * Clare Fishburn in

Annie Dillard Annie Dillard (née Doak; born April 30, 1945) is an American author, best known for her narrative prose in both fiction and nonfiction. She has published works of poetry, essays, prose, and literary criticism, as well as two novels and one memo ...

's novel ''The Living'' * Clare Kendry in Nella Larsen's novel '' Passing'' * Clare Quilty, a male character in ''

Lolita ''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The protagonist and narrator is a French literature professor who moves to New England and writes under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert. He details his obsession ...

References

{{given name English-language unisex given names English feminine given names English masculine given names Masculine given names Feminine given names

Women

Men

Fictional characters

See also

References