Cleo

Meaning of Cleo

Emerging from the Greek root κλέος (kleos, “glory”), Cleo began as a contracted form of Cleopatra yet has operated autonomously in the Anglo-American name pool since the late nineteenth century; today it is rendered in English as KLEE-oh, while the classical Greek articulation favors the slightly more open KLEH-oh. The appellation’s semantic core is reinforced by illustrious cultural referents—most notably Cleopatra VII, whose political acumen lent the element enduring prestige, and the Muse of History, Clio, whose near-homophonous title shares the same etymological wellspring—so that Cleo occupies a conceptual space where feminine authority and historical consciousness quietly converge. In the United States the name rose to moderate popularity in the 1910s, receded throughout the mid-twentieth century, and has exhibited a measured resurgence in the past decade, now stabilizing near the 500th position; this cyclical pattern aligns with broader contemporary preferences for concise, vintage-inflected choices. Consequently, Cleo presents prospective parents with a compact yet resonant designation: technically rooted in classical language, culturally linked to figures of narrative and power, and stylistically compatible with the streamlined modern lexicon of given names.

Pronunciation

American English

• Pronunced as KLEE-oh (/ˈkli.oʊ/)

British English

• Pronunced as KLEE-oh (/ˈkliː.əʊ/)

Greek

• Pronunced as KLEH-o (/ˈkle.oʊ/)

• Chloe
• Clio
• Clea
• Cleone
• Cleopatra
• Cleora
• Cleona