12/16/2021
Name Showcase:
Every now and then I will showcase a name or two that I've been chewing on. This year, instead of dreaming of sugarplums, I am dreaming of the name Clara.
Not to be confused with her sister name, Clare/Claire, Clara is sophisticated, playful and dumerly powerful. The sophistication stems from the timeless nature of Clara, which was very popular in the 1880s and has continued to be used, with moderate consistency, to the present day.
Also, in my opinion, Clara is a bit more sophisticated and chic than Clare. Clara evokes a hint of European flair, it is a name that is used in Germany, Spanish, Portuguese, France and Italy (among others), while Clare is an English name.
On the flipside, Clara is also playful and beautifully powerful. Many people associate the name Clara with the classic ballet, The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker evokes magic and childhood delight, which give Clara that playful, almost mystical, vibe. The protagonist of the ballet, is obviously a girl named Clara. In the ballet, she dances her way through a fantastical land of nutcrackers, dolls, sweets and mice that come to life on Christmas Eve.
The score for the ballet was written in 1892 and (don't quote me on this), but one of the few main characters that were young girls. Thus, I see Clara as a quietly powerful name.
However, I would go farther and argue that because Clara means "bright and clear," and we often associate something special, important and also innocent (with the clarity), with things that are "bright and clear, Clara is a name that goes beyond just the main character of a Christmas ballet.
There are many beautiful "old lady" names that are coming back into vogue these days (examples: Abigail, Evelyn and Pearl). But Clara hasn't seen the really sharp rise in popularity like many of these names, which makes it memorable and a perfect choice for a baby girl!
