Clarence began as a royal title, Duke of Clarence, named after the town of Clare in Suffolk, and so means "of Clare"; because it sounds like the Latin clarus it is also read as "bright" or "clear". Clarence the angel in It's a Wonderful Life and Justice Clarence Thomas keep the name familiar. A top 100 name a century ago, Clarence ranked number 614 in 2000, has been outside the top 1000 throughout the last decade and stands at number 1500 in 2025.