Clarenc
A masculine name of French origin meaning "bright or clear".
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Clarenc. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Clarenc today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clarenc births was 1963 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clarenc. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clarenc. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1963
5 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1973 SSA rank
#5,221
Tracked since 1963
Popularity
Clarenc: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clarenc from the 1960s through to the 1970s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clarenc 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 Clarenc 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 Clarenc
The name Clarenc has its roots in the Latin language and can be traced back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "clarus," which means "clear" or "bright." The name was likely initially given to individuals with a fair complexion or those who were seen as having a bright or radiant personality.
In the early days of Christianity, the name Clarenc was sometimes used as a reference to the clarity and brightness of faith or as a symbol of spiritual enlightenment. It appeared in some early Christian texts and writings, although its usage was relatively limited compared to other popular names of the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clarenc can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who mentioned a soldier named Clarenc Valerius who fought in the Punic Wars against Carthage in the 3rd century BC. However, it is unclear whether this was a common name or a specific reference to the individual's appearance or character.
Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, the name Clarenc remained relatively uncommon, but a few notable individuals bore this moniker. One such person was Clarenc of Arles, a 12th-century French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade alongside Richard the Lionheart.
During the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century, the name Clarenc gained some popularity among intellectuals and philosophers who associated it with the ideals of clarity, reason, and intellectual brilliance. One famous bearer of the name was Clarenc de Voltaire, a French writer and philosopher who was a leading figure of the Enlightenment period.
In more recent history, the name Clarenc has been carried by several accomplished individuals. Clarenc Darrow was an American lawyer and prominent civil rights advocate who lived from 1857 to 1938 and was known for his defense of unpopular causes and his opposition to the death penalty.
Another notable bearer of the name was Clarenc Birdseye, the American inventor and entrepreneur who developed and patented the process of flash freezing foods, revolutionizing the frozen food industry. He lived from 1886 to 1956.
Clarenc Gerhardi was an American artist and illustrator active in the early 20th century, known for his vibrant and colorful paintings depicting scenes of everyday life. He lived from 1875 to 1938 and his works are held in various museum collections.
While not as common as some other names, Clarenc has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, each contributing to its unique legacy and meaning.
People
Clarenc + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clarenc 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
Clarenc: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clarenc?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clarenc 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Clarenc a common name?
We classify Clarenc as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clarenc most popular?
The single biggest year for Clarenc was 1963, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clarenc is about 59 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 Clarenc in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clarenc a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clarenc in the SSA data are male. 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 Clarenc still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clarenc 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 Clarenc 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 common is the name Clarenc?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.