Cleo Names: Cleodora, Cleophee, Cleopatra

What, exactly, are Cleo names?

Recently returned to the US Top 1000, Cleo feels vintage and edgy. It’s a cool and sophisticated name, but a fun one, too. And with thousands of girls answering to Chloe, the similar-sounding Cleo feels like an obvious choice for a daughter now.

Factor in our love of o-ending girl names, from word choices like Willow to antiques like Margot to surnames like Harlow, and Cleo seems like a sure-fire hit.

From 1880 into the 1950s, Cleo ranked in the US Top 1000. The name peaked in the 1910s – about a century ago. In the year 2000, just 66 girls received the name – close to obscurity. But by 2019, a slow and steady climb led to 269 newborn Cleos – and a return to the rankings at last.

But if you’d like a few more syllables? Or maybe something that takes this rising star and makes it even rarer? Then Cleo names are your answer.

CLEO

To be clear, Cleo requires no formal name. It’s complete as-is, and a very wearable choice in our age of Meadow and Monroe. It comes from the Greek kleios, meaning glory.

And it’s Cleo that has consistently most popular in the US, above even Cleopatra.

It’s also worth noting that Cleo started out as unisex, especially because many of these names – like Cleopha – also have masculine forms. And they’re not obscure, either – while the name has always skewed female in the US, circa 1900, a little Cleo could’ve easily been a boy.

CALLIOPE

Calliope isn’t related to Cleo, save that they’re both Greek in origin. But Calliope, which means beautiful voice, includes all the right sounds to shorten to Cleo.

CALLISTO

Likewise, Callisto is an unrelated Greek name. It means “most beautiful.” With the strong C, L, and O sounds, Cleo seems like a natural nickname.

CLEMENTINE

We might shorten Clementine to Clemmie or Clem, but Cleo works, too. 1960s-era French painter Clementina Cote used the name; so did jazz singer Cleo Laine, also born Clementina.

CLEOBEL, CLEOBELLE and CLEOBELLA

Names ending with -belle (and -bella and -bel) have been favorites in recent years. Cleobella is far rarer than Annabelle or Isabella, but it might wear well.

CLEODORA

A nymph from Greek myth, Cleodora’s name means “glory of God.”

CLEOLINDA

Originally spotted on blogger Cleolinda Jones, her name might be just about one of one. But as Cleo smooshes go, Cleolinda works.

CLEOLUNA

Another well-why-not Cleo combo, this one inspired by the comment section – thanks, Blue Juniper!

CLEOME and CLEOMIE

You might know them as spider plants, but they’re also called cleome: clee oh me. Cleomie could be a slightly more phonetic spelling.

CLEONICE

A combination of two Greek name elements meaning “glory” and “victory,” Cleonice could be a triumphant name. There’s a Cleonice in Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, way back in the fifth century BC, and another in an eighteenth century John Hoole tragedy. (Though Hoole was better known as a translator, rather than a playwright.)

CLEONE and CLEONIE

The daughter of a river god, Cleone was one of many nymphs mentioned briefly in ancient tales. Again, Cleonie could offer a more easily-pronounced alternative.

CLEOPATRA

Worn by multiple queens of the ancient world, this is best remembered as the name of legendary Egyptian ruler Cleopatra VII. She and Mark Antony were defeated by the future Emperor Augustus, though their daughter, Cleopatra Selene, survived. It means “glory of the father.” We tend to hear it as elaborate, maybe over-the-top, and it’s never been common in the English-speaking world. But, thanks to everyone from Shakespeare to Elizabeth Taylor, it’s never quite fallen out of use, either. Now Israeli actor Gal Gadot is set to star in a new Cleopatra movie sometime in 2021.

CLEOPHA

A feminine form of the rare masculine name Cleophas, Cleopha and Cleofa aren’t often heard, but they certainly fit with Cleo names.

CLEOPHEE

If you love Fiona and Josephine and Marie and Amelie, the rare French name Cléophée might appeal, too. The logical English pronunciation is Cleo plus fee at the end, though the French is a little closer to Cleo-plus-Fay. Toronto natives might recognize the name thanks to socialite Cleophee Eaton.

CLEOUNA

It might be related to the Irish Cliodhna, but Cleouna’s exact roots are a mystery. It makes this list thanks to 1950s starlet and pin-up girl Cleo Moore.

CLIO

Clio-with-an-i is mostly just another way to spell Cleo-with-an-e, though a far less common one. It’s also associated with one of the nine Muses, the goddesses responsible for all things creative. Clio was the goddess of history.

CLIODHNA

We love Saoirse and Maeve, so why not Cliodhna? It’s pronounced clee oh NAH, nevermind that d-h combination in the middle. In Gaelic myth, Cliodhna was a goddess in love with a mortal. Things didn’t work out. In later tradition, Cliodhna’s is a banshee and a fairy queen.

CLIONA

Another spelling of the fairy queen’s name, possibly easier to pronounce in the US.

THEOCLEA

Theoclea is easy to unpack – it means “glory of God.” But it’s never been even a little bit common. An ancient Greek philosopher – circa the sixth century BC – answered to Theoclea. (Or maybe Aristoclea or Themistoclea?) Given the popularity of Theodore, Thea, and Theodora, Theoclea doesn’t seem like a stretch.

What do you think of Cleo names?  Would you consider any of these?

First published on June 28, 2013, this post was revised substantially and re-published on January 7, 2021.