Home › Baby Names Directory › Cleotha

Cleotha

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Cleotha

Pronounced klee-OH-thuh /kliːˈoʊ.θə/Medium

Meaning: Cleotha reads as an African American coinage built on the Cleo- element, from Greek kleos ('glory, fame'), with a decorative -tha ending. It relates in spirit to names like Cleophus and Cleo. Its literal meaning is stylistic rather than a single fixed translation; it appears for both men and women.Low

In 30 seconds: Cleotha is a coined name in the Cleo- family, from Greek for 'glory.' Used for boys and girls, it was always rare (said klee-OH-thuh).

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowAmerican

MeaningCleotha reads as an African American coinage built on the Cleo- element, from Greek kleos ('glory, fame'), with a decorative -tha ending. It relates in spirit to names like Cleophus and Cleo. Its literal meaning is stylistic rather than a single fixed translation; it appears for both men and women.

U.S. rank (1992)#8637 ↘ Falling

1992 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1949

Total births (all-time)≈ 750

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

Cleotha is a coined name on the Cleo- element, from Greek kleos, 'glory,' with an ornamental -tha ending. It appears in United States records from around 1919, used within African American communities for both boys and girls, with a small high in the late 1940s.

It was always rare, given to only a couple dozen a year at its peak, and faded by the 1990s. It reads as a distinctive mid-century coinage rooted in a classical element rather than a mainstream name, and it has not revived. The short form Cleo carries the same glory-meaning.

Did you know? Cleotha shares the Cleo- root - Greek for 'glory' or 'fame' - with names like Cleo and Cleophus, dressed up with a soft -tha ending.

Overall data confidence 35%

References - Cleotha — Coined Cleo- name (Greek kleos 'glory'); used both sexes

Variations

CleophusCleoCleotho

Nicknames

CleoTheo

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cleotha…

Cleo— the Cleo- root name behind it

Cleophus— a like Cleo- coinage of the era

Otha— a same-era -tha vintage name

Theotis— another coined name of similar feel

Explore names like Cleotha

By themerare vintage coined

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Cleotha mean?

It is a coined name in the Cleo- family, from Greek kleos ('glory'); the -tha ending is decorative, so it has no single fixed meaning.

How do you pronounce Cleotha?

It's said klee-OH-thuh /kliːˈoʊ.θə/, three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Cleotha a boy or girl name?

Cleotha is used here as a boy's name, though the same spelling has been given to girls.

How popular is Cleotha?

It has always been rare, a coined name given to only a couple dozen babies a year at its peak.