Clair
A boys’ name of French origin, meaning clear or bright; short form of Claire.
Babies a year
29
the US, 2017
Rarity
Very rare
among names in use
US popularity
—
outside the top 1000
UK popularity
—
outside the ONS list
Clair by the numbers
Clair was given to 29 American babies in 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
Its American peak was 356 babies in 1923, so it is a 1920s name that has since fallen a long way.
Other names that come from Claire
Like Clair, each of these traces back to Claire: a form of it, a name built from it, or a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Claireclear, bright4,683 in the US (2017)
- Klairebright, clear; a form of Claire83 in the US (2017)
- Annaclairegrace and bright; blend of Anna and Claire10 in the US (2017)
- Clayrebright and clear; modern respelling of Claire5 in the US (2017)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Clair. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Clarkclerk or scribe875 in the US (2017)
- Cairothe victorious; from al-Qahira; place name used as given name93 in England and Wales (2025)
- Chaimlife323 in the US (2017)
- Craigrock or crag207 in the US (2017)
- Clarybright and clear; a form of Claire or Clara18 in the US (2017)
- Calaisfrom the city of Calais12 in the US (2017)
Other names that mean light
Like Clair, each of these has light in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Lucasbringer of light; from Lucania12,963 in the US (2017)
- Lukefrom Lucania; light9,168 in the US (2017)
- Robertbright fame; renowned warrior5,507 in the US (2017)
- Lucabringer of light3,266 in England and Wales (2025)
- Elliottbright fame; a form of Elijah2,996 in the US (2017)
- Elliotbright fame; a form of Elijah544 in England and Wales (2025)
Names about as common as Clair
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