Clare

femaleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Clare: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Clare: Recorded every year since 1964, it reached #45 in 1985, and it stood at #718 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
115times a registrar ranked it
62years from first to last
#45highest recorded position
22groupings it qualifies for

What stands out in Clare's record

Ranked every year since 1964, without a single year missing. Names by continuity of record
Held a top-100 place for 38 years running. Names by top-100 run

Region

Falling

among girls in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#200
1997	#224
1998	#298
1999	#322
2000	#397
2001	#444
2002	#582
2003	#619
2004	#866
2005	#990
2006	#1325
2007	#1502
2008	#1516
2009	#2019
2010	#1815
2011	#2150
2012	#1809
2013	#2313
2014	#2659
2015	#4103
2016	#4763
2017	#2925
2018	#5666
2019	#4001
2020	#2615
2021	#2499
2022	#3148
2023	#2689
2024	#4192

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among girls in Republic of Ireland in 58 of the 62 years from 1964 to 2025.

In 2022: #747 among girls in Republic of Ireland, #3148 among girls in England and Wales.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1964–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1964
First recorded at #55 among girls in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #45 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 1985 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Girls
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls

Clare appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Republic of Ireland · Girls, which has ranked it in 58 years beginning in 1964, and has registered 4,477 births with the name.

Clare across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Clare's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Girls	#55 (1964)	#45 (1985)	#718 (2025)	58 of 62	4,477 (1964–2025)	173 (1982)
England and Wales · Girls	#200 (1996)	#200 (1996)	#4192 (2024)	29 of 29	1,122 (1996–2024)	216 (1996)
Northern Ireland · Girls	#66 (1997)	#66 (1997)	#440 (2016)	19 of 20	263 (1997–2016)	39 (1997)
New South Wales, Australia · Girls	#87 (1979)	#77 (1983)	#87 (1989)	8 of 11	744 (1979–1989)	103 (1983)

Clare by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Clare in Republic of Ireland · Girls, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1960s	687	6 of 10	115
1970s	1,364	10 of 10	136
1980sbusiest	1,504	10 of 10	150
1990s	657	10 of 10	66
2000s	188	10 of 10	19
2010s	65	9 of 10	7
2020s	12	3 of 10	4

Across Republic of Ireland · Girls, the 1980s were its busiest decade, averaging 150 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 1972 and 1973, when recorded births rose by 59, from 103 to 162.

See the names Republic of Irelandhas recorded the most births with →

Clare appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #45 in Republic of Ireland in 1985.

Clare's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	female	#4192	5	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	female	#2689	9	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	female	#3148	7	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#2499	10	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	female	#2615	9	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	female	#4001	5	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	female	#5666	3	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	female	#2925	8	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	female	#4763	4	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	female	#4103	5	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	female	#2659	9	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	female	#2313	11	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	female	#1809	16	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	female	#2150	12	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	female	#1815	15	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	female	#2019	12	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	female	#1516	18	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	female	#1502	17	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	female	#1325	19	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	female	#990	26	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	female	#866	31	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	female	#619	47	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	female	#582	49	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	female	#444	69	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	female	#397	80	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	female	#322	104	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	female	#298	122	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	female	#224	184	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	female	#200	216	High	Verified
1989	New South Wales, Australia	female	#87	98	Insufficient	Not yet available
1986	New South Wales, Australia	female	#84	94	Insufficient	Not yet available
1985	New South Wales, Australia	female	#93	90	Insufficient	Not yet available
1983	New South Wales, Australia	female	#77	103	Insufficient	Not yet available
1982	New South Wales, Australia	female	#95	84	Insufficient	Not yet available
1981	New South Wales, Australia	female	#81	96	Insufficient	Not yet available
1980	New South Wales, Australia	female	#84	89	Insufficient	Not yet available
1979	New South Wales, Australia	female	#87	90	Insufficient	Not yet available
1978	New Zealand	female	#90	55	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	female	#440	3	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	female	#426	3	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	female	#439	3	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	female	#383	4	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	female	#311	5	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	female	#258	7	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	female	#309	5	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	female	#198	10	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	female	#186	11	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	female	#162	12	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	female	#159	12	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	female	#169	10	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	female	#173	9	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	female	#118	16	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	female	#78	28	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	female	#74	28	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	female	#78	27	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	female	#78	31	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	female	#66	39	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	female	#718	4	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	female	#747	4	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	female	#700	4	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	female	#621	5	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	female	#512	7	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	female	#471	8	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	female	#515	7	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	female	#532	7	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	female	#587	6	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	female	#907	3	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	female	#359	13	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	female	#475	9	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	female	#379	12	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	female	#323	15	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	female	#373	11	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	female	#394	9	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	female	#263	14	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	female	#304	11	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	female	#174	23	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	female	#162	24	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	female	#136	31	High	Verified
2000	Republic of Ireland	female	#112	38	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	female	#102	39	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	female	#116	34	High	Verified
1997	Republic of Ireland	female	#110	46	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	female	#99	54	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	female	#83	65	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	female	#70	78	High	Verified
1993	Republic of Ireland	female	#66	87	High	Verified
1992	Republic of Ireland	female	#87	75	High	Verified
1991	Republic of Ireland	female	#86	79	High	Verified
1990	Republic of Ireland	female	#67	100	High	Verified
1989	Republic of Ireland	female	#48	143	High	Verified
1988	Republic of Ireland	female	#59	124	High	Verified
1987	Republic of Ireland	female	#59	131	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	female	#51	156	High	Verified
1985	Republic of Ireland	female	#45	157	High	Verified
1984	Republic of Ireland	female	#64	136	High	Verified
1983	Republic of Ireland	female	#57	154	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	female	#52	173	High	Verified
1981	Republic of Ireland	female	#58	159	High	Verified
1980	Republic of Ireland	female	#58	171	High	Verified
1979	Republic of Ireland	female	#57	162	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	female	#64	143	High	Verified
1977	Republic of Ireland	female	#59	150	High	Verified
1976	Republic of Ireland	female	#64	138	High	Verified
1975	Republic of Ireland	female	#57	152	High	Verified
1974	Republic of Ireland	female	#59	161	High	Verified
1973	Republic of Ireland	female	#58	162	High	Verified
1972	Republic of Ireland	female	#81	103	High	Verified
1971	Republic of Ireland	female	#86	97	High	Verified
1970	Republic of Ireland	female	#87	96	High	Verified
1969	Republic of Ireland	female	#80	101	High	Verified
1968	Republic of Ireland	female	#74	98	High	Verified
1967	Republic of Ireland	female	#63	110	High	Verified
1966	Republic of Ireland	female	#52	131	High	Verified
1965	Republic of Ireland	female	#53	132	High	Verified
1964	Republic of Ireland	female	#55	115	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1964 and 2025, ranked in 62 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #45, first reached in 1985.

It held a top-100 place in 38 years, 38 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 216 births, registered in England and Wales in 1996.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1978, and 33 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Clara · #32, 63y
Claragh · #171, 16y
Clarence · #1545, 24y
Clarice · #374, 29y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Jillian · #44, 63y
Ronnie · #46, 60y
Blair · #41, 57y
Colleen · #41, 64y

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1960 and 1969.

Sanna · #45, 49y
Trym · #45, 65y
Ailbhe · #44, 59y
Damian · #46, 62y

Clare was ranked #45 in Republic of Ireland · Girls in 1985. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Clare and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Clare without appearing here.

Clare moved ahead of

Kerry Compare
In 2020 they stood at #5666 and #4684 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2021 that had become #2499 and #4634.
Kirsten Compare
In 2018 they stood at #5666 and #1977 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2019 that had become #4001 and #5591.
Brittany Compare
In 2020 they stood at #5666 and #4684 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2021 that had become #2499 and #3519.
Carmel Compare
In 2014 they stood at #907 and #612 in Republic of Ireland · Girls; by 2015 that had become #532 and #896.

Moved ahead of Clare

Noah Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2689 and #3218 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #4192 and #1743.
Pamela Compare
In 2017 they stood at #2925 and #3583 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2018 that had become #5666 and #3518.
Lorraine Compare
In 2023 they stood at #2689 and #5687 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2024 that had become #4192 and #2115.
Eabha Compare
In 2014 they stood at #2659 and #3514 in England and Wales · Girls; by 2015 that had become #4103 and #2070.

Moved the opposite way to Clare

Emma Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 while Emma went from #245 to #28.
Hannah Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 while Hannah went from #91 to #21.
Kate Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 while Kate went from #300 to #52.
Melissa Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 while Melissa went from #372 to #173.

Moved the same way as Clare

Audrey Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 and Audrey from #85 to #885.
Eileen Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 and Eileen from #17 to #443.
Ida Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 and Ida from #372 to #885.
Julia Compare
Between 1964 and 2025 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, Clare went from #55 to #718 and Julia from #42 to #118.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1964 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #45 in Republic of Ireland in 1985. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Clare

Clare at a glance

What stands out in Clare's record

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Clare across 4 official records

Clare by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Clare appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Clare

Clare and the names beside it

Clare moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Clare

Moved the opposite way to Clare

Moved the same way as Clare

Clare at a glance

What stands out in Clare's record

Clare across 4 official records

Clare by decade in Republic of Ireland · Girls

Clare appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1960s

Names published alongside Clare

Clare and the names beside it

Clare moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Clare

Moved the opposite way to Clare

Moved the same way as Clare