Clarke
Girl name · #1521 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Clarke is currently the #1521 girl name in the United States — 140 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3299, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,857 girls born in 2025 was named Clarke.
The 34-year story
Clarke first appears in the Social Security records in 1991, when 22 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 152 girls were named Clarke — good for #1419 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Clarke per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Clarke against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Clarke in class?
Clarke scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Clarke is most common
Geography matters for names, and Clarke is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Clarkes were TX (18), CA (8), IN (8), CO (7), MA (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Clarke
Statistically, parents drawn to Clarke tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Blayke, Zelie, Bowie, Esmae, and Jhene.
BlaykeZelieBowieEsmaeJheneAdoreEmberleeJournie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Clarke | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 140 | #1518 |
| 2024 | 108 | #1852 |
| 2023 | 133 | #1581 |
| 2022 | 139 | #1540 |
| 2021 | 152 | #1419 |
| 2020 | 142 | #1503 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1773 |
| 2018 | 92 | #2084 |
| 2017 | 95 | #2053 |
| 2016 | 76 | #2426 |
| 2015 | 49 | #3299 |
| 2014 | 32 | #4455 |
| 2013 | 19 | #6462 |
| 2012 | 25 | #5398 |
| 2011 | 23 | #5728 |
| 2010 | 24 | #5602 |
| 2009 | 23 | #5891 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7408 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8098 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8237 |
| 2005 | 12 | #8883 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6216 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 16 | #6698 |
| 2001 | 17 | #6322 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Clarke a popular girl name?
Clarke ranked #1521 among girls in 2025 with 140 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3299.
When was the name Clarke most popular?
Clarke peaked in 2021, when 152 American girls received the name (ranked #1419 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Clarke?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,857 newborn American girls was named Clarke. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.