NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Kleo

A feminine name derived from the Greek word "kleos" meaning "renown" or "glory".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kleo is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kleo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1672, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 22 births.

This profile covers 141 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 82% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 146 living people in the UK are called Kleo. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kleo ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 22 girls were registered as Kleo.
  • Kleo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.
  • About 146 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kleo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 89.2% of Kleo registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1672

2024

Births in 2024

18

Latest year

Peak year

2023

22 births

Estimated living

146

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Kleo

In England and Wales birth records, Kleo has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 10.8% of registrations are for boys and 89.2% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

89% girls
Boys17 (10.8%)Girls141 (89.2%)

Kleo registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,270 in 2024
  • 4 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2014 (4 births)

Kleo registered for girls

  • Ranked #1,672 in 2024
  • 18 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (22 births)

Meaning

What does Kleo mean?

The name Kleo originated from the Greek language and culture, with its roots dating back to ancient times. It is believed to be a shortened form of the name Kleopatra, which itself is derived from the Greek words "kleos" meaning "glory" and "patra" meaning "from the father."

The earliest recorded use of the name Kleo can be traced back to ancient Greek texts and historical records. One notable figure was Kleo of Byzantium, a 4th-century BC Greek historian and author who wrote about Alexander the Great's campaigns. Another was Kleo of Naukratis, a renowned Greek poet and musician who lived in the 6th century BC.

In Greek mythology, Kleo was one of the three Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who were responsible for bestowing glory and fame upon those they favored. The name was often associated with artistic pursuits and the pursuit of excellence.

Moving into the medieval period, the name Kleo appeared in various European records and texts. One prominent figure was Kleo of Meaux, a 9th-century French abbess and scholar who was renowned for her wisdom and learning.

In more recent history, Kleo has been a relatively uncommon name, but there have been several notable individuals bearing it. Kleo Apostolidou (1915-1982) was a Greek actress and singer who achieved fame in the mid-20th century. Kleo Hatzistrati (born 1973) is a contemporary Greek singer and songwriter.

Another notable figure was Kleo Merritt (1914-1989), an American civil rights activist and educator who fought for desegregation and equal rights in the United States. Kleo Musgrave (1829-1901) was a British writer and poet who published several works in the late 19th century.

Throughout its history, the name Kleo has carried connotations of glory, artistic expression, and the pursuit of excellence, reflecting its origins in ancient Greek culture and mythology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kleo over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kleo in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kleo, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 22 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
06111722200320132024

Decades

Kleo by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kleo was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1937 79 5
2010s #3645 55 8
2000s #5055 7 2

Geography

Where Kleo is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kleo. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Kleo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #765 in 2020.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Kleo in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#765 in 2020

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Kleo

FAQ

Kleo: questions and answers

How popular is the name Kleo in the UK right now?

In 2024, Kleo was ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.

When was Kleo most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 22 babies registered as Kleo in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kleo?

A feminine name derived from the Greek word "kleos" meaning "renown" or "glory".

How many people are called Kleo in the UK?

A total of 141 babies have been registered as Kleo across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Kleo most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Kleo ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #765 in 2020. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.