Clarine
A feminine name derived from the Latin "clarus" meaning bright or clear.
Name Census estimates that about 319 living Americans carry the first name Clarine. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Clarine today is around 78 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clarine births was 1923 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clarine. 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 Clarine is about 78 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clarines were born before 1958.
People living today
319
~ 1 in 1,074,465 Americans
Peak year
1923
63 babies that year
Average age
78
years old
1975 SSA rank
#6,607
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Clarine: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clarine from the 1900s through to the 1970s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 527 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clarine 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 Clarine during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Clarines live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia recorded the most babies named Clarine, while Ohio, Illinois, Arkansas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 35 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Clarine
The name Clarine has its origins in the French language and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a feminine form of the name Clarus, which is derived from the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright." The name may have been given to children with a bright complexion or a sunny disposition.
In the early centuries, the name Clarine was predominantly found in regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. It was sometimes spelled variations like "Clarina" or "Clarinda" during this period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Clarine can be found in a medieval French text from the 13th century, where it was used to refer to a young noblewoman. However, the name does not appear to have any significant references in major religious scriptures or ancient historical records.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Clarine. One of the earliest recorded was Clarine de Trie (c. 1280 - 1330), a French noblewoman and patron of the arts during the reign of King Philip IV.
Another prominent figure was Clarine de Billom (c. 1490 - 1555), a French abbess and writer who penned several religious works and corresponded with notable figures of her time.
In the 17th century, Clarine Desbordes (1618 - 1680) was a French playwright and poet who gained recognition for her dramatic works, which were performed in Paris.
During the 18th century, Clarine de La Rive (1723 - 1789) was a Swiss writer and philosopher who contributed to the Enlightenment movement and advocated for women's education.
More recently, Clarine Ridlon (1868 - 1944) was an American suffragist and activist who worked tirelessly for women's rights and played a significant role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in the United States.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Clarine throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's legacy.
People
Clarine + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clarine 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
Clarine: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clarine?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 319 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clarine 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 1,074,465 US residents.
Is Clarine a common name?
We classify Clarine as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,659 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clarine most popular?
The single biggest year for Clarine was 1923, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clarine is about 78 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Clarine a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clarine 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.
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.