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Origin: |
Cleo derives from the Ancient Greek kleos meaning "glory, fame, praise; rumor, report, credit", itself derived from the verb kleó "to celebrate, make famous." Kleo/Cleo was not really used as a given name in Ancient Greece; rather, it was a common name element in several names including Kleoboulos, Kleoboula, Kleodamos, Kleodikos, Kleodoxa, Kleokrateia, Kleokritos, Kleolaos, Kleomantis, Kleomachos, Kleonikos, Kleoxenos and Kleostratos. There is one obscure mention of a Kleo in Greek mythology a priestess of Thetis. This may have been an alternate form of Kleio (Clio in Latin), derived from kleó "to celebrate, make famous" which was the name of the Greek goddess of history. Clio was one of the Nine Muses who were all assigned specific literary and artistic spheres. Diodorus claimed that Clio was so named "because the praise which poets sing in their encomia bestows great glory (kleos) upon those who are praised."* The most famous of the kleos names was Kleopatra – more commonly found in the Latinised spelling Cleopatra – made up of the elements kleos "glory, fame" and patros "father, parent, fatherland." There were at least two minor figures in Greek mythology with the name: one was the daughter of mountain-nymph Orithyia, and Boreas, the god of the North-Wind. Cleo became used as a given name in the modern era, essentially as a nickname for Cleopatra. |
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Usage: |
Though it is synonymous with the last reigning queen of Egypt, Cleopatra was a common name in the ancient world. The Lexicon of Greek Personal Names has 180 entries of the name in classical records. The only full-sibling of Alexander the Great was Cleopatra of Macedonia (354 BC–308 BC), Macedonian princess and later queen regent of Epirus. Alexander and Cleopatra both also had a step-mother named Cleopatra as well. Among the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, Cleopatra was a favourite, dating from the marriage of Cleopatra of Syra to Ptolemy V of Egypt, who acted and regent of Egypt (Cleopatra I) for her son Ptolemy VI. The famous Cleopatra ruled as Cleopatra VII. As Cleo started out as a short form of Cleopatra, it can be very difficult to ascertain its early usage. Cleopatra can be found in very small numbers from the 16th century, such as Cleopatra Ruch, born in 1530 in Switzerland, and there are a few British examples in the 17th century. A girl named Cleo Burton was baptised in 1649 in Shropshire, but it is not clear if this was used as an independent name, as shortening names in church records wasn't uncommon in the 17th century. Thanks to its classical roots and romantic associations – promoted by Shakespeare's tragic portrayal of Cleopatra in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606) – Cleopatra came into moderate use in the 18th century, particularly in the south of England and in and around London. Charles Dickens used the name Cleopatra as the affectionate name for Mrs Skewton in his 1846-48 novel Dombey and Son. By the turn of the 20th century, Cleo saw increasing use as an independent name, eventually superseding Cleopatra. The brief spike in the name Cleo in the 1910s and 1920s may have had something to do with Hollywood silent film actresses Cleo Madison (1883–1964) and Cleo Ridgely (1893–1962). Records for Cleopatra and Cleo as a first name in the England and Wales Birth Index:
In Scotland, too, Cleo has also on the rise intermittently since 1998. In 2016, Cleo ranked #383 with 9 births and increased to #247 with 17 births in 2017 in Scotland. |
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Famous Bearers: |
History: * Cléopatra "Cléo" de Mérode (1875–1966), French dancer. Contemporary: * Dame Cleo Laine (born 1927), British jazz singer and actress. Literature and Other Media: * Cleo Finch, a character in the television show ER. |
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Variants: |
Kleo |
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Pronunciation: |
KLEE-ō [key] |
| Possible longer forms: |
Cleopatra, Cleodora, Cliona, Cleora, Cleonie, Cleophee, Leocadia, Clementine, Clematis |
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Sibling Names: |
Arya Lyra Maia Lena Anya Delilah |
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Name Lists: |
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Thanks to Leah for requesting this name.
