Clair
A less common spelling of Claire.
Every Clair since 1880 — 16,351 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Clair
Clair is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1880, 16,351 American babies have been named Clair — about 74% boys and 26% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1923, when 405 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Clair stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Clair year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | #4,680 | — | — |
| 2024 | 30 | #4,584 | — | — |
| 2023 | 28 | #4,781 | — | — |
| 2022 | 18 | #6,512 | — | — |
| 2021 | 26 | #4,991 | — | — |
| 2020 | 31 | #4,375 | 5 | #12,405 |
| 2019 | 40 | #3,734 | — | — |
| 2018 | 33 | #4,256 | — | — |
| 2017 | 29 | #4,721 | — | — |
| 2016 | 31 | #4,554 | 5 | #12,563 |
| 2015 | 48 | #3,360 | — | — |
| 2014 | 57 | #2,976 | — | — |
| 2013 | 45 | #3,483 | — | — |
| 2012 | 56 | #3,016 | — | — |
| 2011 | 51 | #3,234 | 5 | #12,633 |
| 2010 | 43 | #3,636 | — | — |
| 2009 | 56 | #3,055 | — | — |
| 2008 | 64 | #2,809 | — | — |
| 2007 | 62 | #2,895 | — | — |
| 2006 | 47 | #3,420 | — | — |
| 2005 | 48 | #3,223 | — | — |
| 2004 | 41 | #3,577 | — | — |
| 2003 | 49 | #3,051 | — | — |
| 2002 | 53 | #2,827 | 5 | #10,964 |
| 2001 | 46 | #3,058 | 7 | #8,468 |
| 2000 | 50 | #2,869 | — | — |
| 1995 | 62 | #2,164 | 7 | #7,122 |
| 1990 | 49 | #2,466 | 7 | #6,530 |
| 1985 | 55 | #1,976 | 11 | #3,840 |
| 1980 | 22 | #3,632 | 22 | #2,292 |
| 1975 | 28 | #2,693 | 14 | #2,778 |
| 1970 | 18 | #3,454 | 27 | #1,662 |
| 1965 | 15 | #3,285 | 57 | #976 |
| 1960 | 33 | #1,986 | 67 | #923 |
| 1955 | 35 | #1,776 | 99 | #732 |
| 1950 | 44 | #1,379 | 113 | #659 |
| 1945 | 29 | #1,519 | 132 | #521 |
| 1940 | 30 | #1,377 | 175 | #439 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,615 | 217 | #366 |
| 1930 | 51 | #1,032 | 314 | #313 |
| 1925 | 34 | #1,383 | 310 | #326 |
| 1920 | 40 | #1,212 | 339 | #311 |
| 1915 | 26 | #1,410 | 297 | #291 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,800 | 35 | #464 |
| 1905 | 13 | #1,067 | 43 | #306 |
| 1900 | 11 | #1,179 | 39 | #350 |
| 1895 | 7 | #1,326 | 31 | #331 |
| 1890 | — | — | 20 | #407 |
| 1885 | — | — | 14 | #503 |
| 1880 | 5 | #849 | 12 | #536 |
Famous people named Clair
- Clair Cameron Patterson Biologist · 1922–1995
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Clair mean?
A less common spelling of Claire.
How popular is the name Clair in 2025?
Clair did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Clair?
16,351 babies have been named Clair in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Clair most popular?
Clair peaked in 1923, when 405 newborns received the name.
Is Clair a boy or girl name?
Clair is used for both: about 26% of babies named Clair have been girls and 74% boys.
Is the name Clair rising or falling?
Clair has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Clair?
Well-known people named Clair include Clair Cameron Patterson (biologist).