clara

IPA/klˈɑːɹə/
KK[klˈærə]IPA/klˈærə/

clara — noun

1. a name given to girls in many English-speaking countries, coming from a Latin wo

1.noun
Definition

a name given to girls in many English-speaking countries, coming from a Latin word that means 'bright' or 'clear'

Example

Aiko named her baby Clara after the famous pianist Clara Schumann.

named after [person]: naming a child in honour of someone

Clara teaches art at a primary school in Brisbane, Australia.

Usage Note

UK pronunciation /ˈklɑːrə/ (rhymes with 'car'); US pronunciation /ˈklærə/ (rhymes with 'care'). The name appears in many European languages with minor spelling variations, such as Claire in French and Chiara in Italian.

Word family

  • Claire
    noun
  • Clare
    noun
  • Clarissa
    noun

Common collocations

Phrases

  • named [Name]
  • called [Name]
  • a girl named [Name]

Etymology

LatinItalianEnglish

Clara comes from the Latin word 'clārus', which meant 'bright', 'clear', or 'famous'. It was used as a female given name in many European languages from the Middle Ages onward, partly because of Saint Clare of Assisi (13th century). The name became common in English-speaking countries in the 19th century and remains widely used today.