Clarice

Meaning of Clarice

With its etymological roots in the Latin adjective clarus, signifying “clear” or “bright,” Clarice entered medieval European onomastics as a vernacular derivative of Clarissa—a diminutive of Clara subsequently filtered through Old French as Claris and Italian as Clarice—prior to its assimilation into Anglo-American naming registers. As a designation, it conveys conceptual associations of luminosity and transparency, resonating with the hagiographical legacy of Saint Clare of Assisi, whose influence extended to the founding of the Order of Poor Clares. In modern cultural contexts, the name has reappeared in literary and cinematic narratives—most prominently as the given name of an astute psychological investigator in late twentieth-century fiction—underscoring its connotation of intellectual acuity and composure. Despite fluctuations in annual usage within the United States, Clarice maintains a technical precision and classical gravitas that appeal to parents seeking a name of refined historical pedigree and semantic clarity.