NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Clarise

A feminine name of French origin meaning "bright" or "brilliant.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1996. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Clarise is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Clarise popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1996 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3126, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 4 births.

This profile covers 4 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1996 to 1996. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

Clarise is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 4 living people in the UK are called Clarise. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 1997 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Clarise ranked #3126 for girls in England and Wales in 1996, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 4 girls were registered as Clarise.
  • About 4 living people in the UK are estimated to have Clarise as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3126

1996

Births in 1996

4

Latest year

Peak year

1996

4 births

Estimated living

4

2026

Meaning

What does Clarise mean?

The name Clarise is derived from the Latin name Claritia, which means "bright" or "clear." It is believed to have originated in the late Roman period, somewhere between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD. The name was initially used in parts of the Roman Empire, particularly in regions where Latin was the predominant language, such as Italy and parts of modern-day France and Spain.

While the name Clarise does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that it was used in some form during the Roman era. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 12th century, when a woman named Clarise de Montfort lived in France.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Clarise. One of the most famous was Clarise de Falaise, a 12th-century Norman noblewoman who was the mistress of King Henry I of England. Another notable Clarise was Clarise de Vergy, a 13th-century French noblewoman whose tragic love story inspired numerous literary works.

In the 15th century, Clarise de Gonzaga was a prominent Italian noblewoman and the Countess of Sabbioneta. In the 16th century, Clarise de Lastic was a French Renaissance scholar and writer who was known for her advocacy of women's education.

Another notable figure was Clarise de la Rive, a 17th-century Swiss writer and salonnière who hosted a prominent literary salon in Geneva. She was known for her works on philosophy and theology.

While the name Clarise has roots in antiquity and has been used throughout various historical periods, it is worth noting that it has never been a particularly common name. It has remained relatively rare, perhaps due to its association with nobility and the upper classes in many of the examples mentioned above.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Clarise by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Clarise was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
1990s #3126 4 1

Related

Names similar to Clarise

FAQ

Clarise: questions and answers

How popular is the name Clarise in the UK right now?

In 1996, Clarise was ranked #3126 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Clarise most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 4 babies registered as Clarise in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Clarise?

A feminine name of French origin meaning "bright" or "brilliant.".

How many people are called Clarise in the UK?

A total of 4 babies have been registered as Clarise across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.