View Message

It was one of my favorite names as a teenager - if I'd been a teen mom (thank God I wasn't!) my daughter likely would've been Clarissa Lynne. In the intervening years it has bounced on and off my Top 10, though often I can't decide between Clarissa, Clarisse, or Clara as my favorite.

Clarissa isn't bad at all, but I like Clare so much more that I'd never consider using it. Also, I prefer the elegant austerity of Clare to the frilliness of Clarissa.

wayyy too frilly to me. sounds sickly sweet, like eating 5 powdered donuts covered in chcolate syrup. i love how simple and sharp Claire sounds; Clarissa ruins it.

I love Clarissa! I like all the Clar- names:

---

Claire
Clara
Clarissa
Clarice
Claribel
Clarinda

I love it, though I prefer Clarice / Clarisse and Claricia / Claritia.

I like the sound and look, overall feel. However, after reading TheodorasMommy response, I'm seeing the same thing and it's a bit annoying for the same reason.

I like almost all of the Clar- names, (Clarice, Clarity, Claire, etc.) but I’m only lukewarm on Clarissa. Maybe it’s because the -issa part sounds dated to me after all the Melissas and Alyssas I gre up with from the 80s.