Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Cleo as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Cleo

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Cleo is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkliː.oʊ/ (KLEE-oh).

Cleo is Greek in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: /ˈkliː.oʊ/ (KLEE-oh)

What is the meaning of the name Cleo ?

The baby name Cleo is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkliː.oʊ/ (KLEE-oh).

Cleo is Greek in Origin.

Cleo stems from the Greek root kleos, meaning “glory” or “fame,” and functions both as a standalone given name and as a short form of Cleopatra, “glory of the father” (kleos + patēr). In Greek antiquity it echoed the prestige of names beginning with Kleo-/Clio-, and its association with Cleopatra VII gives it a distinctly regal aura. The related form Clio (Greek Kleio) is also the name of the Muse of History, further tying the element to renown.

In English use since the 19th century, Cleo appeared for both sexes - sometimes deriving from male names such as Cleopas/Cleophas (a New Testament figure) or Cleon - before settling primarily as feminine in the mid-20th century. It has enjoyed a modern vintage revival in several Anglophone countries. International variants and spellings include Kleo (Greek transliteration), Cléo (French/Portuguese), and Clio/Kleio; related forms are Cleopatra, Cleopas, and Cleon. The core meaning remains “glory, fame.”

Cleo has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Cleo

Cleopatra Royal · Born -68 · Ptolemaic Kingdom Cleopatra, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, is most famous for her relationships with Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Her life and reign have inspired countless works of art and literature, including Shakespeare's play 'Antony and Cleopatra'. Cleo Laine Actor · Born 1927 · United Kingdom Cleo Laine is best known as a jazz and pop singer from the United Kingdom, famous for her unique vocal range and scat singing ability. She gained prominence with hits like 'Send in the Clowns' and 'He Was Beautiful'. Born in 1927, she also made a mark in musical theater, including her role in 'Show Boat'. Tamara Dobson Actor · Born 1947 · United States Cleo Dobson was an American actress and fashion model, best known for playing government agent Cleopatra "Cleo" Jones in Cleopatra Jones and Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold. She began her career as a model in the late 1960s before becoming a standout star of 1970s blaxploitation cinema.
Cleopatra Coleman Actor · Born 1987 · Australia Cleopatra Coleman is an Australian actor best known for her role as Erica in the TV series 'The Last Man on Earth'. She has also appeared in films like 'In the Shadow of the Moon' and 'Hover'. Cléo Pires Actor · Born 1982 · Brazil Cléo Pires is a Brazilian actress best known for her role in the film 'Se Eu Fosse Você'. Born in 1982, she has also starred in popular TV series like 'América' and 'Caminho das Índias'. Cleo Moore Actor · Born 1924 · United States Cleo Moore was an American actress best known for her roles in 1950s film noir movies. She starred in films like 'One Girl's Confession' and 'Women's Prison', becoming a symbol of the era's 'bad girl' genre. Her career was marked by her collaborations with director Hugo Haas.

Cleo – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
Germany Girls 2025 #1 — 411
Ireland Boys 1975 #1 — 340
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
Sweden Girls 2022 #50 191 1,568
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
CY 0 #55 6 1,632
SI 0 #79 2 1,612
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
TW 0 #99 5 4,523
ID Girls 0 #102 1 3,319
Switzerland Girls 2024 #104 32 1,786
PH 0 #104 7 5,607
CY Girls 0 #106 16 3,755
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
Belgium Girls 2024 #129 57 424
GR 0 #133 3 3,911
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
BW Girls 0 #145 7 4,216
BW Boys 0 #146 9 4,685
MT Girls 0 #151 3 3,773
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
AE 0 #184 4 10,220
LU Girls 0 #185 6 4,850
Sweden Boys 2016 #191 2 1,526
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
AO Girls 0 #197 13 4,575
LT Girls 0 #199 2 1,904
NA Boys 0 #207 29 6,830
Canada Girls 2024 #226 60 2,795
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
BG Girls 0 #230 2 3,559
GR Girls 0 #230 13 6,293
NA Girls 0 #231 7 7,146
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
JM Girls 0 #244 16 7,507
JP Girls 0 #246 6 6,592
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
PT 0 #248 3 4,161
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
EC Girls 0 #256 3 3,650
MO Girls 0 #258 6 7,056
SG 0 #260 10 11,010
TW Girls 0 #262 15 8,139
NG 0 #271 2 5,926
IL 0 #281 2 6,291
JM Boys 0 #290 4 6,876
HR Girls 0 #293 2 3,687
Canada Boys 2022 #305 6 2,557
QA Girls 0 #307 10 15,378
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
BR 0 #315 31 5,969
DK Girls 0 #323 7 7,429
PE 0 #326 4 6,350
CN Boys 0 #329 3 9,639
GT 0 #335 4 5,948
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
CN Girls 0 #337 13 8,829
HK 0 #337 12 8,483
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
PL Girls 0 #345 10 5,096
MY 0 #348 7 12,352
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
PH Girls 0 #351 40 13,098
MU Girls 0 #354 9 8,539
SD Girls 0 #357 2 7,678
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
NL 0 #371 21 2,481
PH Boys 0 #374 10 11,440
ZA 0 #377 71 14,421
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
France Girls 2021 #400 6 3,185
BO 0 #401 8 6,868
BR Girls 0 #403 884 12,708
Austria Girls 0 #406 15 1,885
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
PT Girls 0 #409 43 7,952
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
France Boys 2014 #413 5 2,861
OM Girls 0 #417 8 15,987
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
MX 0 #439 7 8,339
PA Girls 0 #462 20 9,861
United States Girls 2024 #479 495 8,487
AR Boys 0 #482 2 7,628
GT Girls 0 #487 19 7,500
RU Girls 0 #489 10 11,913
UY Girls 0 #490 21 6,731
GT Boys 0 #496 4 7,625
SG Girls 0 #496 91 18,916
KW Girls 0 #500 16 19,177
CO 0 #502 9 7,768
PA Boys 0 #502 4 9,305
CR Boys 0 #508 3 10,188
CR Girls 0 #514 19 11,342
AE Girls 0 #518 36 20,968
IQ Girls 0 #523 3 11,303
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CM Girls 0 #528 13 11,671
CM Boys 0 #536 15 12,054
PS Girls 0 #540 8 10,981
ZA Girls 0 #542 833 25,928
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
HK Girls 0 #548 68 16,104
HK Boys 0 #553 5 12,905
LY 0 #556 4 12,703
BO Girls 0 #569 43 9,488
AR Girls 0 #570 30 8,289
BH 0 #579 9 17,937
BO Boys 0 #582 11 9,244
IL Boys 0 #624 2 10,983
IL Girls 0 #640 6 11,648
CL Boys 0 #654 12 13,390
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
BR Boys 0 #657 95 12,213
IT 0 #680 35 4,183
LB 0 #685 6 13,263
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
Finland Girls 2026 #701 38 3,895
SG Boys 0 #737 3 17,960
QA Boys 0 #741 3 18,093
NG Girls 0 #742 45 15,093
PE Girls 0 #762 184 14,861
CO Girls 0 #763 341 16,140
Germany Girls 0 #764 75 4,949
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
NL Girls 0 #786 170 5,933
CL Girls 0 #800 52 14,098
KW Boys 0 #802 5 18,755
TN 0 #820 10 13,765
Spain Girls 0 #827 157 5,561
PE Boys 0 #856 23 14,506
United States Boys 2024 #872 21 7,044
MX Girls 0 #874 323 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #886 301 25,619
SA Girls 0 #902 34 25,931
CO Boys 0 #904 17 15,656
Spain Boys 0 #920 11 5,610
EG Boys 0 #922 4 15,035
NL Boys 0 #934 18 5,873
EG Girls 0 #935 25 14,742
MY Girls 0 #939 56 24,821
NG Boys 0 #942 10 16,906
MX Boys 0 #966 17 16,355
IT Girls 0 #988 484 9,415
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
MY Boys 0 #1,101 11 25,439
MA 0 #1,118 11 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,136 8 22,615
DZ 0 #1,153 24 20,130
TR 0 #1,250 5 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,388 84 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,586 29 28,008

Cleo is popular in 79 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
Ireland
United States
Scotland, United Kingdom

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Cleo

Cleo is predominantly a girl's name.
Cleo is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈkliː.oʊ/ (KLEE-oh).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Cleopatra, Clea, Kleo, Cléo and Cleone.
Yes, very popular — Cleo ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 11 countries.
Cleo ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Cleo's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 7 notable people named Cleo are in our database, including Cleopatra (Royal), Cleo Laine (Actor), Tamara Dobson (Actor).