Cleo

Cleo has two main sources, both Greek. It can be a short form of Cleopatra, the name of the last queen of ancient Egypt, or a form of Clio, one of the nine Muses of Greek myth, who looked after history. Both names go back to an old root connected with fame and glory. A few boys have also been called Cleo, from Greek boys’ names starting with the same sound.

For most of the twentieth century Cleo was an unusual choice. It has become more common in recent years, alongside other short names ending in a vowel, such as Chloe and Zoe.

In Ireland, Cleo first reached the CSO list in 1974, with 3 girls, but it stayed rare for decades. It picked up from 2015, and its best rank so far was number 212 in 2024, when 21 girls were named Cleo. In Northern Ireland its highest place was 209th, in 2023.