How popular is the baby name Clara in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Clara.

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Popularity of the baby name Clara


Posts that mention the name Clara

Popular baby names in Northern Ireland (UK), 2024

Flag of the United Kingdom
Flag of the United Kingdom

Last year, Northern Ireland — one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom — welcomed more than 19,400 babies.

What were the most popular baby names among these babies? Grace and James.

Here are Northern Ireland’s top 50+ girl names and top 50 boy names of 2024:

Girl names

  1. Grace, 125 baby girls
  2. Olivia, 109
  3. Fiadh, 104
  4. Aoife, 97
  5. Emily, 96
  6. Charlotte, 95 (tie)
  7. Lily, 95 (tie)
  8. Isla, 91 (tie)
  9. Sophia, 91 (tie)
  10. Freya, 90
  11. Annie, 89
  12. Ella, 85
  13. Eabha, 80
  14. Amelia, 74 (tie)
  15. Sophie, 74 (tie)
  16. Evie, 73
  17. Meabh, 71
  18. Ellie, 69
  19. Anna, 65
  20. Clodagh, 61 (tie)
  21. Mia, 61 (tie)
  22. Aria, 59 (3-way tie)
  23. Maisie, 59 (3-way tie)
  24. Rosie, 59 (3-way tie)
  25. Erin, 58
  26. Croia, 55
  27. Elsie, 54
  28. Bonnie, 53 (tie)
  29. Molly, 53 (tie)
  30. Phoebe, 52 (tie)
  31. Sienna, 52 (tie)
  32. Ava, 51
  33. Cara, 50 (tie)
  34. Daisy, 50 (tie)
  35. Ivy, 49
  36. Clara, 47
  37. Saoirse, 46
  38. Lucy, 45 (tie)
  39. Ruby, 45 (tie)
  40. Cora, 44
  41. Rose, 43
  42. Eva, 42 (tie)
  43. Sadie, 42 (tie)
  44. Isabella, 39 (3-way tie)
  45. Nora, 39 (3-way tie)
  46. Willow, 39 (3-way tie)
  47. Ada, 37 (5-way tie)
  48. Katie, 37 (5-way tie)
  49. Maya, 37 (5-way tie)
  50. Niamh, 37 (5-way tie)
  51. Poppy, 37 (5-way tie)

Boy names

  1. James, 143 baby boys
  2. Cillian, 142
  3. Noah, 139
  4. Jack, 130
  5. Theo, 125
  6. Jude, 124
  7. Luca, 109
  8. Charlie, 106
  9. Oisin, 105
  10. Oliver, 104
  11. Thomas, 96
  12. Leo, 94
  13. Harry, 89 (tie)
  14. Jacob, 89 (tie)
  15. Finn, 84
  16. Arthur, 83
  17. Alfie, 82 (3-way tie)
  18. Daithi, 82 (3-way tie)
  19. Freddie, 82 (3-way tie)
  20. Archie, 77 (tie)
  21. Tommy, 77 (tie)
  22. Rian, 67
  23. Ollie, 65
  24. Conan, 62
  25. Ronan, 61
  26. Caleb, 60 (4-way tie)
  27. Fionn, 60 (4-way tie)
  28. Isaac, 60 (4-way tie)
  29. Patrick, 60 (4-way tie)
  30. Lucas, 57 (tie)
  31. Max, 57 (tie)
  32. Theodore, 55
  33. Rory, 54
  34. Joseph, 53 (3-way tie)
  35. Oscar, 53 (3-way tie)
  36. Reuben, 53 (3-way tie)
  37. Daniel, 52
  38. Adam, 51 (tie)
  39. Alexander, 51 (tie)
  40. George, 50 (tie)
  41. Odhran, 50 (tie)
  42. Ezra, 49 (3-way tie)
  43. Liam, 49 (3-way tie)
  44. Matthew, 49 (3-way tie)
  45. Arlo, 48 (3-way tie)
  46. Cian, 48 (3-way tie)
  47. Henry, 48 (3-way tie)
  48. Daire, 47 (3-way tie)
  49. Jonah, 47 (3-way tie)
  50. Sean, 47 (3-way tie)

Grace and James were also the #1 names in 2022, but both dipped to third place in 2023.

The highest climbers within the girls’ top 100 in 2024 were Maya, Maria, Eliza, and Ayla.

And the highest climbers within the boys’ top 100 were Austin, Rossa, Callum, and Joseph.

Finally, here’s a small selection of the names that were given to just three babies each last year:

  • Rare girl names: Aodhla, Cuisle, Doireann, Etain, Neala, Orlagh, Tierna
  • Rare boy names: Ainle, Con, Dualtagh, Eamon, Feilim, Lir, Oilibhear

Cuisle, the Irish word for “pulse,” is thematically similar to the trendy girl name Croia, which is based on croí, the Irish word for “heart.” Croia currently ranks 26th and 16th in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, respectively.

Sources:

Image: Adapted from Flag of the United Kingdom (public domain)

What gave the baby name Corliss a boost in the 1920s?

Movie actress Corliss Palmer (1899-1952)
Corliss Palmer

According to the U.S. baby name data, the uncommon name Corliss started seeing more usage in the early 1920s:

  • 1924: 30 baby girls named Corliss
  • 1923: 25 baby girls named Corliss
  • 1922: 21 baby girls named Corliss
  • 1921: 6 baby girls named Corliss
  • 1920: 6 baby girls named Corliss

Why?

Because of Corliss Palmer, a Georgia-born actress who was best known for her association with a married millionaire.

In 1920, Corliss entered the “Fame and Fortune” contest being advertised in a trio of fan magazines: Motion Picture Magazine, Motion Picture Classic, and Shadowland.

All three of these magazines were published by wealthy businessman Eugene V. Brewster, who hoped that hosting the annual contest would help him discover “prospective stars.” (The contest did, in fact, launch the careers of Glenda Farrell, Mary Astor, and Clara Bow.)

Corliss was declared the winner of the contest in early 1921, and, for the next few years, Brewster promoted her heavily in his magazines. She was the subject of numerous articles, and her name and image were used to advertise products like face powder and perfume.

More significantly, Corliss and Brewster became romantically involved. Corliss even moved into Brewster’s home — much to the chagrin of Brewster’s wife.

News of the affair broke when Mrs. Brewster filed a separation suit against her husband in late 1922. She named Corliss in the suit.

Corliss Palmer and Eugene V. Brewster (in 1924)
Corliss Palmer and Eugene V. Brewster

Further developments — such as Brewster buying a quarter-million dollar estate in New Jersey to share with Corliss in January of 1924, and Mrs. Brewster suing Corliss for alienation of affection three months later — kept Corliss Palmer in the headlines for several years.

Finally, in late 1926, Brewster — whose wife had refused to grant him a divorce — went go Mexico and got one anyway. The next day, he married Corliss.

Soon after, it was announced that the lawsuits had been settled out of court, and that Brewster had sold his movie magazines as part of the settlement.

During the latter half of the 1920s, Corliss appeared in a string of grade-B movies, usually as a secondary character.

In 1931, amid the Great Depression, Brewster filed for bankruptcy. Corliss and Brewster separated in 1932, and divorced in 1933.

The newspapers claimed that the actress’s full name was Corliss Modena Palmer, but she’s listed as “Helen” on the 1900 U.S. Census (as a one-year-old) and as “Caroline” on the 1910 U.S. Census.

The English surname Corliss derives from an Old Norse word meaning “careless” (i.e., a nickname for a carefree person). What are your thoughts on Corliss as a first name?

Sources:

Image: Clippings from Motion Picture Classic (Dec. 1920) and the Americus Times-Recorder (3 Dec. 1924)

Top names for baby girls, letter by letter, in 2024

First letters of baby girl names in 2024 (U.S.)

The most common first letter for baby girl names last year was A (used 16.6% of the time), followed by E (9.7%) and M (9.2%).

The least common first letter was U (used 0.04% of the time), followed by Q (0.2%) and X (0.3%).

So, what were the most popular girl names of 2024 within each letter group?

Top girl names starting with A:

  1. Amelia
  2. Ava
  3. Aurora
  4. Aria
  5. Avery

Top girl names starting with B:

  1. Brooklyn
  2. Bella
  3. Brielle
  4. Blakely
  5. Brianna

Top girl names starting with C:

  1. Charlotte
  2. Camila
  3. Chloe
  4. Claire
  5. Clara

Top girl names starting with D:

  1. Delilah
  2. Daisy
  3. Daphne
  4. Delaney
  5. Dahlia

Top girl names starting with E:

  1. Emma
  2. Evelyn
  3. Eleanor
  4. Elizabeth
  5. Eliana

Top girl names starting with F:

  1. Freya
  2. Faith
  3. Francesca
  4. Fatima
  5. Finley

Top girl names starting with G:

  1. Gianna
  2. Grace
  3. Genesis
  4. Gabriella
  5. Georgia

Top girl names starting with H:

  1. Harper
  2. Hazel
  3. Hannah
  4. Hailey
  5. Hadley

Top girl names starting with I:

  1. Isabella
  2. Isla
  3. Ivy
  4. Iris
  5. Isabel

Top girl names starting with J:

  1. Josephine
  2. Jade
  3. Josie
  4. Juniper
  5. Julia

Top girl names starting with K:

  1. Kinsley
  2. Kennedy
  3. Kehlani
  4. Katherine
  5. Kaia

Top girl names starting with L:

  1. Luna
  2. Lily
  3. Lucy
  4. Layla
  5. Lainey

Top girl names starting with M:

  1. Mia
  2. Mila
  3. Madison
  4. Maya
  5. Madelyn

Top girl names starting with N:

  1. Nora
  2. Nova
  3. Naomi
  4. Natalie
  5. Natalia

Top girl names starting with O:

  1. Olivia
  2. Oaklynn
  3. Oakley
  4. Olive
  5. Ophelia

Top girl names starting with P:

  1. Penelope
  2. Paisley
  3. Parker
  4. Piper
  5. Peyton

Top girl names starting with Q:

  1. Quinn
  2. Quincy
  3. Queen
  4. Quinley
  5. Quetzaly

Top girl names starting with R:

  1. Riley
  2. Ruby
  3. Raelynn
  4. Rose
  5. Rylee

Top girl names starting with S:

  1. Sophia
  2. Sofia
  3. Scarlett
  4. Stella
  5. Sadie

Top girl names starting with T:

  1. Tatum
  2. Talia
  3. Tessa
  4. Teagan
  5. Thea

(Taylor, which ranked second in 2023, dropped to sixth last year.)

Top girl names starting with U:

  1. Unique
  2. Ulani
  3. Uma
  4. Una
  5. Unknown

(One spot below the placeholder “unknown” is the name Unity.)

Top girl names starting with V:

  1. Violet
  2. Valentina
  3. Victoria
  4. Vivian
  5. Valerie

Top girl names starting with W:

  1. Willow
  2. Wrenley
  3. Wren
  4. Wrenlee
  5. Winter

Top girl names starting with X:

  1. Ximena
  2. Xiomara
  3. Xyla
  4. Xochitl
  5. Xolani

Top girl names starting with Y:

  1. Yara
  2. Yareli
  3. Yaretzi
  4. Yamileth
  5. Yasmin

Top girl names starting with Z:

  1. Zoe
  2. Zoey
  3. Zara
  4. Zuri
  5. Zariah

Source: SSA

Girl names on the rise in the United States in 2024

hot air balloons

Which girl names increased in usage the most from 2023 to 2024?

Here’s a table of the fastest-rising girl names of 2024. On the left are the top 25 increases in terms of absolute change (number of babies). On the right are the top 25 increases in terms of relative change (percentage of babies).

RankGirl nameAbsolute riseGirl nameRelative rise
1Ailany2,285Lilieth850%
2Lainey1,210Mavie836%
3Eliana1,071Aylany820%
4Scottie1,032Xylani780%
5Aurora837Ailany735%
6Mia718Klarity625%
7Ayla677Kathlyn600%
8Daisy668Jaslin570%
9Adeline635Mahelet567%
10Violet608Aaralyn417%
11Zoe531Ziora400%
12Lucy514Diara392%
13Eloise509Baela388%
14Ember469Ibbie383%
15Elodie458Sanova367%
16Ailani440Solene364%
17Alana437Zaeli363%
18Sofia429Renli360%
19Hallie425Emrielle340%
20Celeste420 (tie)Naziyah315%
21Juliette420 (tie)Xamira309%
22Alanna419Evara300% (3-way tie)
23Clara399Kahani300% (3-way tie)
24Chloe398Maryori300% (3-way tie)
25Amelia388Maysen287%

Lainey, one of the fastest-rising girl names of 2023, is still on the rise thanks to country singer Lainey Wilson.

Scottie may have been influenced by Scotty Lyon, a young female character on the show Fargo.

And Baela was probably influenced by Baela Targaryen of the show House of the Dragon.

If you can explain any of the other rises, please leave a comment!

Source: SSA

Image: Adapted from Turkey-2036 by Dennis Jarvis under CC BY-SA 2.0.