Clarke is a unisex name with a rare feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Clarke means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Clarke across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Clarke has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Clarke is a unisex name of Latin origin meaning “cleric, scholar”. A surname from the word clerk, used as a given name.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 5,598 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 410 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 53 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 40 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Clarke per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2021 (192/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (40/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2009 (6/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1989 (4/yr).
Clarke is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2021, when it ranked #2,283 nationally (given to 192 babies that year).
Clark · Clarkie · Klark · Clarica · Klarke · Claragh
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