Claire is the French form of Clara, from the Latin clarus, and means "clear" or "bright". It has been a classic in France since Saint Clare of Assisi and is one of the few French names that Americans have used continuously for more than a century. Claire has been in the top 100 in the United States throughout this century: number 86 in 2000, number 40 at its peak in 2016 and number 68 among girls in 2025.