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I used to dislike Clarence because it seemed silly and childish to me, but now I like it. It's rather dignified. As for nicknames, Clancy is adorable, but I like Clair better.

Clarence is very surnamey to me, in a very positive way. Where I live, there are mountains that go steeply down to the sea, very beautiful but a challenge for road-builders. To drive inland from Cape Town (harbour city) you used to have basically two choices: over a mountain using a road which followed what had once been the path used by elephants, long ago, or over different mountains and through a tunnel, but that took you too far away from where we used to go on holiday. The elephants' old road is much better now, but when I was a kid I was scared of it. Steep and narrow and very busy. But, in the 1930s a Mr Clarence decided that a coastal road would be useful and beautiful, and it was built and named after him: Clarence Drive. That's my association, heading for a seaside holiday as a small child, and it is still one of the most beautiful roads anywhere. I think Clancy is a very good nn for Clarence, much better than Clarry which is all I can think of.

I love it! Clancy is a cool nn. It's unusual, but not ridiculous.

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Clare is fine as a nn. It doesn't feel gendered.

This message was edited 10/13/2024, 6:29 PM

I love the name Clarence, and I've thought of the nn Clancy for it before too! (For a character, not a kid.) I also like Clare as a unisex name, though spelled Claire somehow feels more feminine to me.

Don't really like Clarence or Clancy

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I only like Clare for a female

I wouldn't use Clarence, but I do like it. It's smooth and suave without being smarmy. It has some fairly strong vibes as a black guy's name to me, though I did know one white Clarence.
Clancy is too stereotypical-in-a-bad-way Irish for me. I did once know a dog named Clancy.

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I don't like Claire or Clare much for a girl and I definitely don't like it for a guy. There is some precedent in it being used for men. There was a famous American general during and after WWII called Claire Lee Chennault. If I remember right he commanded the Flying Tigers in China.

Clarence is beautiful and, yes, both distinguished and dweeby. I can definitely imagine you with a Clarence!

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I prefer Clare to Clancy as a nickname. Cass could also work.