Clare

Clare is a name and a place name with multiple uses. In geography, County Clare is a county on the west coast of Ireland, in the province of Munster. It borders Galway, Limerick and the Shannon Estuary, and includes notable landscapes such as the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. The county town is Ennis.

The name also appears in England as the town of Clare in Suffolk, a historic market town known for its timber-framed houses and Clare Castle, a medieval fortification ruin.

In people, Clare is a feminine given name derived from the Latin clarus, meaning clear or bright; it is related to Clara and Claire and has been used since the Middle Ages. Saint Clare of Assisi (1204–1253) is a prominent bearer, founder of the Order of Saint Clare, commonly known as the Poor Clares.

The surname Clare originates from places named Clare in England and Ireland and is toponymic in origin.