Clare /ˈklɛər/ is a given name, the Medieval English form of Clara.^[1] The related name Clair was traditionally considered male, especially when spelled without an 'e',^[2] but Clare and Claire are usually female.

It is very often associated with the Irish County Clare. That name was derived from the Irish word ('Clár') given to a small bridge that crossed the River Fergus near the town of Ennis in what is now County Clare.^{[3] [4]}

Women

• Saint Clare of Assisi (1194–1253), foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) and companion of Saint Francis
• Saint Clare of Montefalco, Augustinian Catholic saint
• Blessed Clare of Rimini, beatified Poor Clare nun
• Clare Abbott (born 1921), South African artist
• Clare Adamson (born 1967), British politician
• Clare Akamanzi (born 1979), Rwandan politician
• Clare Asquith (born 1951), British scholar
• Clare Athfield, New Zealand interior designer
• Clare Atwood (1866–1962), British painter
• Clare Azzopardi (born 1977), Maltese writer
• Clare Bailey (born 1970), British politician
• Clare Balding (born 1971), British sports presenter
• Clare Baldwin, American journalist
• Clare Buckfield, English actress
• Clare Colvin, British writer
• Clare Eichner, American distance runner
• Clare Grey, British chemist
• Clare Hastings, British author, fashion journalist, stylist and costume designer
• Clare Hunt (born 1999), Australian footballer
• Clare Kummer (1873–1958), American composer, lyricist and playwright
• Clare Boothe Luce, American writer, politician, and ambassador
• Clare Maguire (born 1987), British singer-songwriter
• Clare Martin (born 1952), Australian politician
• Clare McCann, Irish/Australian actress, singer, dancer, filmmaker and activist
• Clare Moody (born 1965), British politician
• Clare Mulley (born 1969), British author and historian
• Clare Nasir (born 1970), British meteorologist
• Clare Nott (born 1986), Australian wheelchair basketball player
• Clare Nowland (1928–2023), Australian nonagenarian who died after being Tasered by police
• Clare Parnell (born 1970), British astrophysicist and applied mathematician
• Clare Polkinghorne (born 1989), Australian footballer
• Clare Potter (1903–1999), American fashion designer
• Clare Short (born 1948), British politician
• Clare Twomey (born 1968), British artist
• Clare Venema, Australian model
• Clare Wheatley (born 1971), British football player and administrator
• Clare Wheeler (born 1998), Australian footballer

Men

• Clare Berryhill (1925–1996), American politician
• Clare Briggs (1875–1930), American comic strip artist
• Clare Drake (1928–2018), Canadian retired ice hockey head coach
• Clare Victor Dwiggins (1874–1958), American cartoonist and illustrator
• Clare Fischer (1928–2012), American musician
• Clare W. Graves (1914–1986), American professor of psychology
• Clare Hoffman (1875–1967), United States Representative from Michigan's 4th congressional district.
• Clare Jacobs (1886–1971), American pole vaulter
• George "Clare" Martin (1922–1980), Canadian ice hockey player

Fictional characters

• Clare Devlin in Derry Girls
• Clare in the British comic strip Clare in the Community
• Clare, the main character from the manga and anime Claymore
• Clare (Power Rangers) in the series Power Rangers: Mystic Force
• Clare Abshire in the novel The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• Clare Arnold in the 1990s television drama Beverly Hills, 90210
• Clare Devine in the British soap opera Hollyoaks
• Clare Edwards in the Canadian television drama Degrassi: The Next Generation
• Clare Quilty, a male character in Lolita
• Clare Kendry in Nella Larsen's novel Passing
• Clare Bleecker in Don Roff's novel Clare at Sixteen
• Clare Fishburn in Annie Dillard's novel "The Living"

See also

• Clare (surname)
• Clare (disambiguation)
• Clara (given name)
• Claire (given name)
• Sinclair (surname)

References