Clarke

Clarke is a spelling of the surname Clark, originally associated with a clerk or someone able to read and write. The occupational word had connections with the clergy, because literacy and religious institutions were closely linked in medieval society. That background is broader than the modern idea of an office clerk.

The final e distinguishes Clarke on the page without normally changing its one-syllable English pronunciation. As a first name, it has been used for both boys and girls, while remaining recognizable as a family name. Clark provides the closest spelling comparison. The two forms share the same occupational history rather than acquiring different meanings or fixed gender rules through the additional letter.