Clera
A feminine name derived from the Latin word clarus, meaning "bright" or "clear".
Name Census estimates that about 29 living Americans carry the first name Clera. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Clera today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Clera births was 1986 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Clera. 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 Clera. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
29
~ 1 in 11,819,115 Americans
Peak year
1986
9 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
1988 SSA rank
#9,472
Tracked since 1922
Popularity
Clera: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Clera from the 1920s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 30 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
Clera 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 Clera 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 Clera
The name Clera traces its origins to the Latin language, emerging during the Roman era. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "clarus," which translates to "bright" or "clear." This connection suggests that the name may have held significance related to light, clarity, or brilliance.
In ancient Rome, names were often chosen to represent desired qualities or virtues, and Clera's association with brightness and clarity could have been a reflection of this practice. While no definitive historical records exist to confirm its usage during that time period, the name's linguistic roots point to its potential emergence within Roman culture.
The earliest documented instances of the name Clera can be found in medieval records from various European regions. One notable individual bearing this name was Clera of Burgundy, a noblewoman who lived in the 9th century and was known for her piety and charitable works.
In the 12th century, a Benedictine abbess named Clera of Meschede played a significant role in the establishment of a convent in the town of Meschede, located in present-day Germany. Her leadership and devotion to her faith earned her recognition within the religious community of the time.
Moving forward, the name Clera gained further prominence in the 15th century with the birth of Clera Patavina, an Italian humanist and scholar renowned for her contributions to the study of classical literature. Her works and teachings influenced generations of scholars and intellectuals during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, Clera Carignan, a French noblewoman and courtier, was a prominent figure at the court of King Louis XIV. She was known for her wit, charm, and influential social connections, making her a notable figure in the aristocratic circles of her era.
Another notable figure was Clera Schmidl, an Austrian explorer and naturalist who lived in the 19th century. She accompanied her husband on several expeditions to South America and played a crucial role in documenting the flora and fauna of the regions they explored, contributing significantly to the scientific knowledge of the time.
While the name Clera has not been as widely used in recent times, its historical significance and linguistic roots continue to captivate those interested in the study of names and their meanings. Its association with brightness, clarity, and intellectual pursuits makes it a name with a rich and intriguing history.
People
Clera + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Clera 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
Clera: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Clera?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 29 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Clera 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 11,819,115 US residents.
Is Clera a common name?
We classify Clera as "Very Rare". It ranks above 46% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 40 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Clera most popular?
The single biggest year for Clera was 1986, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Clera is about 39 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 Clera in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Clera a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Clera 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 Clera still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Clera 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 Clera 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 have the name Clera?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Clera, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.