Clairene
A feminine name, French variation of the name Claire, meaning "bright" or "clear."
Name Census estimates that about 9 living Americans carry the first name Clairene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Clairene today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clairene births was 1935 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clairene. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Clairene is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clairenes were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clairene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
9
~ 1 in 38,083,815 Americans
Peak year
1935
6 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1960 SSA rank
#6,513
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Clairene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clairene from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 16 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1930s peak, Clairene remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clairene by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Clairene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Clairene
The name Clairene originates from the French language and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a combination of two words: "clair," meaning clear or bright, and "rene," derived from the Latin word "renatus," which means reborn or regenerated. This suggests that the name may have been associated with concepts of clarity, purity, and rebirth in its early usage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clairene can be found in the 12th century, where it was used as a variant spelling of the name Claire. It appears in several historical records and manuscripts from that era, particularly those related to French nobility and religious orders.
During the Renaissance period, the name Clairene gained popularity among the French aristocracy and was often bestowed upon daughters of noble families. One notable figure from this time was Clairene de Thouars (1521-1587), a French noblewoman and the Countess of Laval. Her legacy includes her involvement in the French Wars of Religion and her support for the Huguenot cause.
In the 17th century, the name Clairene appeared in various literary works, including plays and novels written by French authors. One example is the character of Clairene in Molière's play "Les Précieuses ridicules" (1659), which satirized the pretentious behavior of certain French aristocratic circles.
Another notable figure with the name Clairene was Clairene Sterk (1662-1733), a Dutch writer and poet who gained recognition for her religious poetry and contributions to the Dutch literary scene of the time.
In the 19th century, the name Clairene gained some popularity in English-speaking countries, possibly influenced by its French roots and the ongoing cultural exchanges between France and other nations. One example is Clairene Woodham Smith (1916-1998), a British writer and biographer known for her works on the French Revolution and the life of Florence Nightingale.
Other notable individuals with the name Clairene include Clairene de Grandmaison (1828-1909), a French writer and journalist, and Clairene Wortz (1898-1976), an American writer and educator who taught at various universities in the United States.
While the name Clairene has maintained a consistent presence throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to other more widely used names. Its unique origins and associations with clarity, rebirth, and literary traditions have contributed to its enduring legacy and significance in various cultural contexts.
People
Clairene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clairene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Clairene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clairene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 9 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clairene going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 38,083,815 US residents.
Is Clairene a common name?
We classify Clairene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 25.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 47 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clairene most popular?
The single biggest year for Clairene was 1935, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clairene is about 77 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Clairene in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clairene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clairene in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Clairene still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clairene in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Clairene can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Clairene?
Want to know how many Americans are named Clairene? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.