Clare (given name)

Clare is a given name, the Medieval English form of Clara. The related name Clair was traditionally considered male, especially when spelled without an 'e',  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.

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 Lombardelli, British economist
 * 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 Fischer (1928–2012), American musician
 * Clare Grundman (1913–1996), American composer and arranger
 * Clare Hoffman (1875–1967), United States Representative from Michigan's 4th congressional district
 * Clare Jacobs (1886–1971), American pole vaulter
 * Clare Victor Dwiggins (1874–1958), American cartoonist and illustrator
 * Clare W. Graves (1914–1986), American professor of psychology
 * 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"