My husband likes the name [name_f]Claire[/name_f] and I keep coming back to it. I’ve never met a [name_f]Claire[/name_f] in my life, but obviously it is still a common name. I like the meaning - clear/bright. I like that it is not confusing for a roll call or having to constantly correct people. It is a good name for both a child and an adult. It is strong, simple and classic. However, I’m afraid of its over-use. I have an irish derivative name that was not overly popular until around 1997, so when I was 12 there were a bunch of little girls running around with a bastardized spelling of my name (that spelling being [name_f]Kaitlyn[/name_f]). I don’t want to name my daughter [name_f]Claire[/name_f] and then have 3 or 5 other girls in her class with the same name.
I’m concerned if it has potential to rise up to the top 10 or top 20 of girls names. Similar to how [name_f]Emily[/name_f] and then [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] became popular/trendy the past decade.
I find the name [name_f]Sarah[/name_f] and [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], two other names that have stood the test of time, boring.
What is your opinion on [name_f]Claire[/name_f]? Too popular or overly used? Boring? Keep it to as a classic middle name? I prefer the [name_f]Claire[/name_f] to [name_u]Clare[/name_u] spelling and am not personally fond of [name_f]Clara[/name_f] although I do see that rising in popularity.
I really love [name_f]Claire[/name_f], for all the reasons you listed. People on here label it as dated and recommend [name_f]Clara[/name_f] instead, but I think that [name_f]Claire[/name_f] was popular for a reason…it is a beautiful name. Honestly, I think you should still consider it.
I don’t consider [name_f]Claire[/name_f] overused at all. I’ve only known 2 Claires, one who’s in her 50s and another in her 20s. I thought it was a little boring when I was younger, but now I think it’s nice. I think it’s a classic, but one of those less common classics that everyone is familiar with but they don’t know a dozen people with the name.
I just looked up the US stats and it actually wasn’t really widely used until recently (it never reached the top 100 until 1998), and even then its popularity hasn’t really grown too much in the last 20 years. Its use has been fairly steady for the past decade so I don’t think it’s in much danger of suddenly shooting up to the top of the charts. It doesn’t have the same popularity pattern as [name_f]Sophia[/name_f] and [name_f]Emily[/name_f].
Definitely depends on your area. I’ve always had Claires around, from preschool to my current office. You can look up your province/state separately from the national lists to get a better idea of how popular it is.
[name_f]Claire[/name_f] is wonderfully interesting name, in that of the few I’ve met, they’ve never been of the same age group. I’m acquaintances with a college-age [name_f]Claire[/name_f]; my mother teaches a five year old-[name_f]Claire[/name_f], and my grandmother lives in the same retirement community as an 80 year old [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. It’s not really tired to one generation (at least for me), because it’s timeless. I doubt that within fifteen or twenty years there are going to be hundreds of [name_f]Claire[/name_f]'s running around (or [name_u]Clair[/name_u], Clayr, or Claighr). If you love it, use it.
I know two Claires and both are below the age of 14. I think my problem with the name is that so many Nameberries like to use it as a middle, which takes away from its charm and makes it sound like a generic middle like [name_f]Marie[/name_f] or [name_f]Ann[/name_f]. I love [name_f]Claire[/name_f] as a first name. It’s short, sweet, and without frills.
I love [name_f]Claire[/name_f] (although I prefer the [name_u]Clare[/name_u] spelling)! Not sure where you live, but I grew up in [name_m]New[/name_m] [name_f]England[/name_f] with only one [name_f]Claire[/name_f] and have never met any others in the US. In fact, I only really hear it on TV shows like House of Cards or Outlander, and would love to meet a baby [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. I think it works well for all the reasons you mentioned.
But I know it was kind of a popular name for 80s/90s kids in the UK, where I have met several.
I know a handful of Claires, but I still love the name. Very classic and classy.
I also know a [name_f]Claressa[/name_f], which I think is cute. She goes by clare.
I [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_f]Claire[/name_f]. It was my grandma’s name and is my daughter’s middle name. My sister just named her daughter [name_f]Claire[/name_f], and she is the only baby [name_f]Claire[/name_f] that I know. I know one [name_f]Claire[/name_f] who is in her young 30s, but besides her and my late grandma, I don’t know any others. Beautiful classic name.