Cleo
Shortened from Cleopatra or a variant of Clio.
Every Cleo since 1880 — 45,092 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cleo
Cleo is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #577 in 2025 with 516 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 45,092 American babies have been named Cleo — about 74% girls and 26% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1920, when 1,399 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cleo stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cleo year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 516 | #577 | 18 | #5,245 |
| 2024 | 495 | #607 | 21 | #4,731 |
| 2023 | 490 | #608 | 25 | #4,246 |
| 2022 | 445 | #664 | 17 | #5,478 |
| 2021 | 356 | #794 | 19 | #4,962 |
| 2020 | 303 | #882 | 16 | #5,500 |
| 2019 | 270 | #969 | 12 | #6,851 |
| 2018 | 222 | #1,109 | 26 | #4,010 |
| 2017 | 153 | #1,468 | 18 | #5,142 |
| 2016 | 145 | #1,546 | 19 | #4,982 |
| 2015 | 120 | #1,744 | 16 | #5,557 |
| 2014 | 100 | #1,986 | 7 | #9,833 |
| 2013 | 81 | #2,288 | 7 | #9,844 |
| 2012 | 124 | #1,691 | 16 | #5,518 |
| 2011 | 87 | #2,176 | 7 | #9,815 |
| 2010 | 78 | #2,408 | 7 | #9,883 |
| 2009 | 72 | #2,574 | 5 | #12,834 |
| 2008 | 48 | #3,439 | 13 | #6,461 |
| 2007 | 63 | #2,866 | 12 | #6,696 |
| 2006 | 58 | #2,945 | 6 | #10,919 |
| 2005 | 51 | #3,091 | 13 | #5,925 |
| 2004 | 51 | #3,039 | 6 | #10,191 |
| 2003 | 58 | #2,714 | 7 | #8,824 |
| 2002 | 69 | #2,334 | 11 | #6,155 |
| 2001 | 74 | #2,199 | 5 | #10,872 |
| 2000 | 66 | #2,343 | 16 | #4,617 |
| 1995 | 39 | #2,987 | 13 | #4,555 |
| 1990 | 39 | #2,915 | 27 | #2,500 |
| 1985 | 39 | #2,493 | 20 | #2,520 |
| 1980 | 29 | #3,013 | 26 | #2,068 |
| 1975 | 28 | #2,694 | 44 | #1,307 |
| 1970 | 31 | #2,404 | 35 | #1,422 |
| 1965 | 60 | #1,425 | 47 | #1,082 |
| 1960 | 71 | #1,302 | 51 | #1,084 |
| 1955 | 147 | #796 | 96 | #747 |
| 1950 | 156 | #686 | 100 | #682 |
| 1945 | 182 | #542 | 107 | #584 |
| 1940 | 301 | #384 | 139 | #495 |
| 1935 | 426 | #291 | 167 | #436 |
| 1930 | 515 | #290 | 208 | #403 |
| 1925 | 812 | #229 | 298 | #334 |
| 1920 | 1,049 | #191 | 350 | #305 |
| 1915 | 914 | #184 | 349 | #258 |
| 1910 | 357 | #190 | 72 | #289 |
| 1905 | 248 | #193 | 49 | #281 |
| 1900 | 198 | #226 | 31 | #404 |
| 1895 | 125 | #252 | 19 | #457 |
| 1890 | 81 | #279 | 12 | #571 |
| 1885 | 32 | #356 | 8 | #713 |
| 1880 | 17 | #406 | 5 | #939 |
Famous people named Cleo
- Cleo Laine Singer · b. 1927
- Cleo Singer · b. 1983
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cleo mean?
Shortened from Cleopatra or a variant of Clio.
How popular is the name Cleo in 2025?
Cleo ranked #577 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 516 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cleo?
45,092 babies have been named Cleo in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cleo most popular?
Cleo peaked in 1920, when 1,399 newborns received the name.
Is Cleo a boy or girl name?
Cleo is used for both: about 74% of babies named Cleo have been girls and 26% boys.
Is the name Cleo rising or falling?
Cleo is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cleo?
Well-known people named Cleo include Cleo Laine (singer), Cleo (singer).