Cleo
Cleo was given to 516 girls in 2025, #577 among girls’ names; 45,092 Americans have been recorded with it since 1880 (Social Security Administration, published May 2026).
An estimated 12,100 Americans named Cleo and born in the U.S. are alive in 2026 (27% of everyone recorded); the median is 47 years old and half are between 8 and 76.
Girls and boys together; gaps are years SSA did not record (fewer than 5 births).
Births of Cleo by year: SSA national baby-name file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
What does Cleo mean?
Wiktionary, English section
Cleo is “a female given name from Ancient Greek.”
Also “a male given name from Ancient Greek.”
Shortened from Cleopatra or a variant of Clio. The rare male name derives from names of Ancient Greek origin such as Cleon and Cleopas.
/ˈkliːoʊ/
Meaning: Wiktionary, English section, as of Sep 25, 2026 (CC BY‑SA 4.0).
How popular is Cleo?
#577 among girls’ names, 2025
Cleo rose from #1,744 in 2015 to #577 in 2025 among girls’ names; its share of girls born rose from 0.07 to 0.32 per 1,000.
1,399 babies in 1920, the peak
Cleo peaked in 1920, when 1,399 babies were given it (1,049 girls, #191 among girls’ names). The 534 births of 2025 (girls and boys) are 38% of that peak.
Births by sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 516 | #577 | 18 | #5,243 |
| 2024 | 495 | #607 | 21 | #4,727 |
| 2023 | 490 | #608 | 25 | #4,242 |
| 2022 | 445 | #664 | 17 | #5,474 |
| 2021 | 356 | #794 | 19 | #4,958 |
| 2020 | 303 | #882 | 16 | #5,496 |
| 2019 | 270 | #969 | 12 | #6,846 |
| 2018 | 222 | #1,109 | 26 | #4,006 |
| 2017 | 153 | #1,468 | 18 | #5,138 |
| 2016 | 145 | #1,546 | 19 | #4,978 |
Every recorded year (146)
| Year | Girls | Girls’ rank | Boys | Boys’ rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 120 | #1,744 | 16 | #5,553 |
| 2014 | 100 | #1,986 | 7 | #9,827 |
| 2013 | 81 | #2,288 | 7 | #9,839 |
| 2012 | 124 | #1,691 | 16 | #5,512 |
| 2011 | 87 | #2,176 | 7 | #9,808 |
| 2010 | 78 | #2,408 | 7 | #9,876 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2,573 | 5 | #12,829 |
| 2008 | 48 | #3,438 | 13 | #6,456 |
| 2007 | 63 | #2,866 | 12 | #6,692 |
| 2006 | 58 | #2,944 | 6 | #10,912 |
| 2005 | 51 | #3,087 | 13 | #5,919 |
| 2004 | 51 | #3,035 | 6 | #10,185 |
| 2003 | 58 | #2,711 | 7 | #8,817 |
| 2002 | 69 | #2,331 | 11 | #6,148 |
| 2001 | 74 | #2,195 | 5 | #10,864 |
| 2000 | 66 | #2,339 | 16 | #4,610 |
| 1999 | 50 | #2,744 | 14 | #4,801 |
| 1998 | 61 | #2,312 | 13 | #4,919 |
| 1997 | 56 | #2,362 | 20 | #3,471 |
| 1996 | 59 | #2,256 | 15 | #4,206 |
| 1995 | 39 | #2,982 | 13 | #4,549 |
| 1994 | 41 | #2,882 | 14 | #4,329 |
| 1993 | 35 | #3,229 | 15 | #4,047 |
| 1992 | 53 | #2,433 | 20 | #3,234 |
| 1991 | 38 | #2,988 | 19 | #3,229 |
| 1990 | 39 | #2,910 | 27 | #2,495 |
| 1989 | 30 | #3,411 | 13 | #4,056 |
| 1988 | 33 | #3,045 | 22 | #2,618 |
| 1987 | 38 | #2,616 | 26 | #2,220 |
| 1986 | 39 | #2,519 | 25 | #2,232 |
| 1985 | 39 | #2,492 | 20 | #2,518 |
| 1984 | 23 | #3,534 | 22 | #2,307 |
| 1983 | 29 | #2,917 | 24 | #2,150 |
| 1982 | 24 | #3,435 | 32 | #1,782 |
| 1981 | 25 | #3,355 | 25 | #2,095 |
| 1980 | 29 | #3,013 | 26 | #2,068 |
| 1979 | 36 | #2,537 | 31 | #1,794 |
| 1978 | 31 | #2,693 | 40 | #1,476 |
| 1977 | 32 | #2,619 | 37 | #1,517 |
| 1976 | 24 | #3,022 | 27 | #1,835 |
| 1975 | 28 | #2,694 | 44 | #1,307 |
| 1974 | 40 | #2,073 | 24 | #1,895 |
| 1973 | 40 | #2,025 | 34 | #1,467 |
| 1972 | 35 | #2,177 | 25 | #1,778 |
| 1971 | 34 | #2,299 | 34 | #1,469 |
| 1970 | 31 | #2,404 | 35 | #1,421 |
| 1969 | 33 | #2,217 | 39 | #1,267 |
| 1968 | 37 | #1,981 | 31 | #1,400 |
| 1967 | 39 | #1,887 | 33 | #1,316 |
| 1966 | 53 | #1,534 | 51 | #1,017 |
| 1965 | 60 | #1,425 | 47 | #1,082 |
| 1964 | 75 | #1,283 | 52 | #1,048 |
| 1963 | 55 | #1,512 | 47 | #1,126 |
| 1962 | 79 | #1,237 | 41 | #1,214 |
| 1961 | 76 | #1,270 | 60 | #1,002 |
| 1960 | 71 | #1,301 | 51 | #1,083 |
| 1959 | 94 | #1,105 | 64 | #963 |
| 1958 | 98 | #1,061 | 57 | #1,008 |
| 1957 | 106 | #1,014 | 77 | #852 |
| 1956 | 142 | #829 | 91 | #777 |
| 1955 | 147 | #795 | 96 | #746 |
| 1954 | 143 | #781 | 83 | #787 |
| 1953 | 135 | #793 | 106 | #692 |
| 1952 | 167 | #688 | 106 | #672 |
| 1951 | 133 | #764 | 95 | #712 |
| 1950 | 156 | #685 | 100 | #681 |
| 1949 | 164 | #646 | 110 | #655 |
| 1948 | 168 | #642 | 100 | #673 |
| 1947 | 212 | #584 | 141 | #568 |
| 1946 | 203 | #556 | 130 | #562 |
| 1945 | 182 | #542 | 107 | #584 |
| 1944 | 213 | #494 | 117 | #566 |
| 1943 | 244 | #470 | 133 | #543 |
| 1942 | 277 | #438 | 155 | #494 |
| 1941 | 275 | #414 | 138 | #496 |
| 1940 | 301 | #384 | 139 | #495 |
| 1939 | 312 | #372 | 141 | #479 |
| 1938 | 387 | #318 | 178 | #427 |
| 1937 | 391 | #313 | 159 | #442 |
| 1936 | 350 | #333 | 179 | #412 |
| 1935 | 426 | #291 | 167 | #436 |
| 1934 | 448 | #288 | 206 | #381 |
| 1933 | 417 | #297 | 215 | #370 |
| 1932 | 455 | #294 | 200 | #397 |
| 1931 | 482 | #284 | 223 | #375 |
| 1930 | 515 | #290 | 208 | #403 |
| 1929 | 584 | #263 | 198 | #417 |
| 1928 | 606 | #263 | 241 | #377 |
| 1927 | 662 | #256 | 335 | #315 |
| 1926 | 730 | #240 | 280 | #346 |
| 1925 | 812 | #229 | 298 | #334 |
| 1924 | 909 | #218 | 300 | #335 |
| 1923 | 883 | #216 | 314 | #328 |
| 1922 | 991 | #202 | 309 | #329 |
| 1921 | 992 | #201 | 345 | #313 |
| 1920 | 1,049 | #191 | 350 | #305 |
| 1919 | 1,013 | #190 | 355 | #282 |
| 1918 | 1,009 | #197 | 363 | #279 |
| 1917 | 1,009 | #189 | 313 | #298 |
| 1916 | 1,031 | #180 | 319 | #289 |
| 1915 | 914 | #184 | 349 | #258 |
| 1914 | 672 | #197 | 215 | #309 |
| 1913 | 536 | #199 | 145 | #343 |
| 1912 | 469 | #204 | 139 | #311 |
| 1911 | 358 | #200 | 78 | #300 |
| 1910 | 357 | #190 | 72 | #289 |
| 1909 | 333 | #178 | 60 | #293 |
| 1908 | 290 | #191 | 50 | #310 |
| 1907 | 325 | #171 | 56 | #280 |
| 1906 | 238 | #200 | 52 | #273 |
| 1905 | 248 | #193 | 49 | #281 |
| 1904 | 230 | #195 | 40 | #313 |
| 1903 | 221 | #190 | 40 | #297 |
| 1902 | 198 | #211 | 33 | #340 |
| 1901 | 160 | #229 | 26 | #362 |
| 1900 | 198 | #226 | 31 | #404 |
| 1899 | 132 | #241 | 11 | #625 |
| 1898 | 139 | #253 | 15 | #548 |
| 1897 | 131 | #245 | 24 | #384 |
| 1896 | 134 | #237 | 27 | #369 |
| 1895 | 125 | #252 | 19 | #457 |
| 1894 | 118 | #251 | 11 | #636 |
| 1893 | 122 | #238 | 21 | #393 |
| 1892 | 95 | #273 | 16 | #498 |
| 1891 | 76 | #287 | 10 | #610 |
| 1890 | 81 | #279 | 12 | #571 |
| 1889 | 70 | #283 | 7 | #812 |
| 1888 | 63 | #296 | 12 | #583 |
| 1887 | 37 | #354 | 6 | #839 |
| 1886 | 42 | #328 | 8 | #711 |
| 1885 | 32 | #356 | 8 | #713 |
| 1884 | 30 | #367 | 6 | #874 |
| 1883 | 26 | #355 | under 5 | |
| 1882 | 18 | #436 | under 5 | |
| 1881 | 23 | #340 | under 5 | |
| 1880 | 17 | #406 | 5 | #939 |
Ranks: girls’ names and boys’ names ranked separately in each year’s SSA file; “under 5” is a year SSA did not list the name for that sex.
Is Cleo a boy’s or a girl’s name?
Of the 45,092 Americans recorded as Cleo, 74% are girls and 26% boys. In 2025 it went to 516 girls and 18 boys.
Years with fewer than 20 babies given the name are left blank.
Girls and boys named Cleo: the SSA national file counts each sex separately.
How many people are named Cleo, and how old are they?
12,100 alive in 2026, estimated
That is 27% of the 45,092 Americans ever recorded as Cleo. The median Cleo alive today is 47 years old; half are between 8 and 76.
The 2020 Census counted 11,057 people named Cleo (8,313 women and girls, 2,744 men and boys). SSA’s births carried forward to Census day, April 1, 2020, predict 12,164 born in the U.S. The Census count is 9% below that prediction.
Alive today, by age
Alive today, by generation
| Generation | Born | Alive |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928-1945 | 2,190 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946-1964 | 2,830 |
| Generation X | 1965-1980 | 1,030 |
| Millennials | 1981-1996 | 883 |
| Generation Z | 1997-2012 | 1,220 |
| Generation Alpha | 2013-2025 | 3,890 |
An estimate, not a count. SSA’s files count people born in the United States who received a Social Security number, so anyone born abroad is not in them; before 1937 most people got a number as adults, and their survival is counted from that age.
Living estimate: SSA births carried forward with the survival rates in SSA’s cohort life tables (2024 Trustees Report) for each birth year and sex. How the estimate is made. Count: Census Bureau, first names in the 2020 Census (released April 14, 2026; names reported 100 or more times, with the Bureau’s disclosure-avoidance adjustment).
Where are babies named Cleo born?
The states with the most babies named Cleo are Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina, with 21% of its births recorded by state since 1910; Oklahoma is not among the ten states with the most births.
| State | Since 1910 | Rank, girls | vs. national |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,124 | #767 | 1.3× |
| Oklahoma | 1,825 | #732 | 2.3× |
| North Carolina | 1,791 | #789 | 1.3× |
| Georgia | 1,674 | #1,011 | 1.3× |
| Arkansas | 1,555 | not ranked | 2.3× |
| California | 1,522 | #370 | 0.7× |
| Missouri | 1,330 | #834 | 1.2× |
| Alabama | 1,252 | #739 | 1.2× |
| Mississippi | 1,228 | not ranked | 1.6× |
| Tennessee | 1,196 | #614 | 1.1× |
Where Cleo is more common than its national share predicts
Relative to its national share, Cleo is most over-represented in Oklahoma: since 1910 it was given 2.3 times as often there as its national share each year would predict.
States: SSA state file, 1910-2025, published May 8, 2026; births count girls and boys together, and the rank is among girls’ names in the state in 2025. The file leaves out any state and year with fewer than 5 babies of the name, so small states are undercounted; each ratio compares the state’s births of Cleo with the births its national share predicts year by year, for states with at least 100 births of the name.
Names spelled alike
Of these 8 names spelled alike, given to 48,624 babies since 1880, Cleo is the most given (93% of them). In 2025 it was given to 534 of their 629 babies (85%), again the most given.
Spelled alike: names in the SSA national file with the same pattern of letters and sounds and at most two letters apart, and Wiktionary’s listed forms; births since 1880 and in 2025, and each name’s peak year, from the SSA national file, published May 8, 2026. Some are separate names, not spellings of one.
Names that rose and fell in the same decades as Cleo
Names whose births rose and fell across the same decades, measured on each decade’s share of births.
Similar histories: each decade’s share of births, from the SSA national file, 1880-2025, published May 8, 2026. SSA’s notes on the data.
More about Cleo and names like it
- Compare Cleo and CleolaBirths, ranks, peak and the living estimate side by side.
- The most given names of the 1920sCleo peaked in 1920.
- Texas’s most given namesThe state where SSA recorded the most babies named Cleo since 1910.
- Ancient Greek namesWiktionary’s origin for Cleo: every such name, by how often it is given.
- The top names of 1920The year the most babies were named Cleo.
- The names of Generation AlphaMost people named Cleo alive today were born 2013-2025.
- Names starting with CMost given first.