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Clarke

Boy / Girl name · 53 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Clarke: 53 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 4 births in 1989.

Once an occupational surname for a scholar or scribe, Clarke derives from the Old English "clerc," meaning clerk – someone who could read and write. The most famous bearer is arguably science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, whose work imagined satellites and space travel long before reality caught up. Actor Clarke Peters, best known for *The Wire*, also carries the name. While no major geographical feature is directly named for a Clarke, the name shares its root with Clark County in Nevada, which honours Captain William A. Clark (though his surname dropped the final 'e'). As a first name, Clarke is a less common variant of the widespread Clark, giving it a slightly more formal, literary feel.