← All names

Claire

Girl name · 16,976 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Claire: 16,976 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 985 births in 1983.

Claire, the French feminine form of the Latin *clarus*, means "clear, bright, or famous." Arriving in Britain after the Norman Conquest, it has long been a Scottish favourite, often associated with the radiant quality of light. Famous bearers include Claire Forlani, the English-Italian actress with Scottish roots, and Claire Grogan, lead singer of 1980s pop band Altered Images and a proud Scot. Place connections are notably absent from Scotland itself, though the name shares its root with the French region of Clare, as well as the Irish county Clare. A notable variant is the Gaelic *Sìne*, while the name’s Latin origin also gives us Clara, a more classic, less Gallic cousin.