Clarke is a given name that is a transferred use of the surname Clarke. It has been in use as a given name since the 1600s. Usage of the name Clark and its spelling variant Clarke have been influenced by well-known figures such as Clark Gable Usage for girls was influenced by the characters Clarke Betancourt, a character in the 1990 film Mo' Better Blues and later by Clarke Griffin, a character in the television series The 100, which premiered in 2014.[1][2]