Clarke is a unique and distinctive given name of English origin. It is derived from the occupational surname "Clark," which was originally an Anglicized version of the Scottish Gaelic name "MacLeòid," meaning "son of Laoidh." Laoidh is a Gaelic byname meaning "disciple" or "follower of Christ." Therefore, the surname Clarke, and subsequently the given name Clarke, can be interpreted as meaning "son of a disciple of Christ."
The use of Clarke as a given name is not very common, but it has been used throughout history. One notable figure with the name Clarke was Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008), the renowned British science fiction author and futurist who is best known for co-writing the screenplay for the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" and popularizing the concept of communication satellites in geostationary orbit.
In terms of popularity, Clarke has not ranked among the top 1000 most popular boy names in the United States since the Social Security Administration began recording names in 1900. However, it has been used sparingly throughout history and continues to be an option for those looking for a distinctive name with a unique meaning.
In conclusion, Clarke is a rare but meaningful given name of English origin that can be traced back to its roots in Scottish Gaelic. With a fascinating historical figure bearing the name, Clarke remains an intriguing choice for parents seeking a distinctive name for their child.
These statistics illustrate a fluctuating trend for babies named Clarke over the course of 143 years, from 1880 to 2023. The peak period appears to be around the mid-20th century, with the highest number of births recorded in 1954 and 1955 (60 births each), followed by a decline. The most recent decade shows a slight increase, with 45 births in 2019, 40 in 2020, and 41 in 2021, indicating that the name Clarke remains relatively popular today. Overall, there have been 3837 births with the name Clarke during this period.