Clary is a unique and distinctive given name of Latin origin. Its meaning can be interpreted in two ways: as an abbreviation for Clarissa or Clara, which are derived from the Latin word "clarus," meaning "clear" or "bright"; or as a shortened form of the Greek name Hilaria, which means "cheerful" or "happy."
The use of Clary as a given name is not widespread and has no significant historical or biblical references. However, it has been used in literature, notably by author Cassandra Clare in her popular young adult series "The Mortal Instruments," where the main character's name is Clary Fray.
In terms of popularity, Clary is not a common name. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, there were only 14 babies named Clary in 2019, ranking it at number 5,635 for girls' names that year. This rarity makes Clary an interesting and attention-grabbing choice for a given name.
Overall, Clary is a distinct and unique name with a Latin origin and a meaning related to brightness or happiness. While not widely used historically, its use in popular literature has helped bring this uncommon name into the modern consciousness.
The name Clary has seen a varied history of usage as a given name for newborns in the United States over the course of several decades. Between 1915 and 1982, there were a total of 177 babies named Clary born in the U.S., with the most popular years being 1943 and 1962.
From 1915 to 1930, the name Clary was used relatively infrequently for newborns, with an average of about 7 births per year during this period. However, there was a notable spike in its usage in 1943, with 15 babies named Clary born that year alone. This represents the highest number of births with the name Clary recorded in any single year during the time span examined.
The years following World War II saw a continued but less dramatic use of the name Clary for newborns. Between 1946 and 1957, there was an average of about 6 births per year, with no individual year having more than 9 births. This period also included some notable low points in usage, such as the years 1950 to 1953 where fewer than 6 babies named Clary were born each year.
The name Clary continued to be used sporadically throughout the following decades, with occasional spikes in popularity. For example, there was another spike in births named Clary in 1962 with 8 births recorded that year. However, overall usage remained relatively low and erratic during this time.
The most recent data point available is from the year 1982, where there were 5 babies named Clary born in the U.S. While it's not possible to determine if this trend of sporadic usage has continued since then without more recent data, it appears that the name Clary has historically been used quite infrequently as a given name for newborns in the United States.
In conclusion, while the name Clary has seen some periods of increased popularity throughout its history, it has generally been used relatively infrequently as a given name for newborns in the U.S. Overall, there were 177 babies named Clary born between 1915 and 1982, with the most popular years being 1943 and 1962.