Clarsie
A feminine name derived from the French name Claire, meaning "bright" or "clear".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Clarsie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Clarsie today is around 95 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clarsie births was 1920 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clarsie. 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 Clarsie is about 95 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Clarsies were born before 1941.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Clarsie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1920
11 babies that year
Average age
95
years old
1934 SSA rank
#4,393
Tracked since 1911
Popularity
Clarsie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clarsie from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 16 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Clarsie remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Clarsie 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 Clarsie 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 Clarsie
The name Clarsie is a unique and intriguing one, with a rich history that spans across different cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages of the British Isles, where it is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "clàrsair," meaning "harper" or "musician."
In the early medieval period, the name Clarsie was predominantly found in parts of Scotland and Ireland, where it was associated with the bardic tradition of storytelling and music. It was often given to individuals who were skilled in playing the harp or other stringed instruments, and who were revered for their ability to preserve and pass down oral histories through song and verse.
While the name does not appear to have been extensively documented in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is worth noting that the concept of the harper or bard was deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of many ancient civilizations, including the Celts, Greeks, and Norse peoples.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Clarsie was Clarsie MacGregor, a renowned Scottish harper who lived in the late 16th century. He was known for his mastery of the clàrsach, a traditional Gaelic harp, and his contributions to the preservation of Scottish folk music.
Another notable figure was Clarsie O'Daly, an Irish bard and historian who lived in the 17th century. He was a member of the esteemed O'Daly family, which had a long-standing tradition of producing skilled poets and chroniclers. Clarsie O'Daly's works were instrumental in documenting the history and genealogy of various Irish clans and families.
In the 19th century, Clarsie Thorn, an English poet and writer, gained recognition for her literary works, which often drew inspiration from nature and the countryside. Her poetry collection, "Songs of the Hedgerows," published in 1856, was widely acclaimed for its vivid imagery and lyrical prose.
Clarsie Sinclair, a Scottish musician and composer, made significant contributions to the revival of traditional Scottish music in the early 20th century. Born in 1887, she traveled extensively throughout the Highlands and Islands, collecting and preserving ancient Gaelic melodies and songs that had been passed down through generations.
Lastly, Clarsie Forrester, an American artist and illustrator born in 1920, gained recognition for her vibrant watercolor paintings, which often depicted scenes from rural life and the natural world. Her works were widely exhibited and are now part of several prestigious art collections.
While the name Clarsie may be rare in modern times, its historical significance and connections to the rich cultural heritage of music, poetry, and storytelling make it a fascinating and evocative choice for those seeking a name with a deep-rooted past.
People
Clarsie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clarsie 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
Clarsie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clarsie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clarsie 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 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Clarsie a common name?
We classify Clarsie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 31 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clarsie most popular?
The single biggest year for Clarsie was 1920, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clarsie is about 95 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 Clarsie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clarsie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clarsie 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 Clarsie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clarsie 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 Clarsie 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 are named Clarsie?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans are named Clarsie at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.