Home › Baby Names Directory › Cleopatra

Cleopatra

♀ Girl

Pronounced klee-oh-PAT-rə /ˌkli.oʊˈpæt.rə/High

Meaning: Glory of the father; from Greek kleos, 'glory', and pater, 'father'High

In 30 seconds: The most famous woman of the ancient world, available as a baby name: Cleopatra means 'glory of the father' — though history remembers the daughter. A maximal name for maximal parents.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighGreek, Egyptian

MeaningGlory of the father; from Greek kleos, 'glory', and pater, 'father'

U.S. rank (2025)#3590 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births42 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1974

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,483

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Cleopatra combines Greek kleos, 'glory', with pater, 'father' — a dynastic name borne by seven Ptolemaic queens of Egypt, of whom the seventh out-famed them all: ally of Caesar, partner of Antony, last pharaoh of Egypt. Shakespeare, Shaw, and Elizabeth Taylor each renewed her hold on the imagination.

As an American given name it has always been rare but never absent — nineteenth-century records show scattered Cleopatras, and the nickname Cleo carries the legacy lightly today. It remains a bold, regal rarity with the friendliest possible short form.

Did you know? Cleopatra VII spoke perhaps nine languages and was the first of her Greek dynasty in three centuries to learn Egyptian — her legend was built on brains before beauty.

Overall data confidence 95%

Behind the Name — Cleopatra — etymology

Variations

CleoKleopatraCleopatre

Nicknames

CleoPatraCleia

Famous Bearers

★Cleopatra VII (69 BC–30 BC)
Last active pharaoh of Ptolemaic Egypt, ally of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

If you like Cleopatra…

Cleo— the breezy short form with its own following

Athena— a Greek power name of the same wattage

Octavia— the Roman name from Cleopatra's own century

Isadora— echoes that soft -ra sound

Alessandra— shares Cleopatra's Greek roots

Explore names like Cleopatra

By themegreek regal historical egyptian

By meaningHonor

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Cleopatra mean?

Cleopatra is Greek for 'glory of the father', from kleos, 'glory', and pater, 'father'.

How do you pronounce Cleopatra?

It's said klee-oh-PAT-rə /ˌkli.oʊˈpæt.rə/ — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Cleopatra a boy or girl name?

Cleopatra is a girl's name.

How popular is Cleopatra?

Cleopatra is a very rare name in the U.S. — bold, historical, and softened by the nickname Cleo.