Cleta

♀ Girl

Pronounced KLEE-tuh /ˈkliː.tə/Medium

Meaning: A feminine of Cletus, itself a short form of the Greek Anacletus, 'called back; summoned; invoked.' It surfaced as a homespun American girl's name in the early twentieth century.Low

In 30 seconds: A tidy vintage pick: Cleta is a feminine of Cletus ('summoned,' Greek), said 'KLEE-tuh.' Old-fashioned and rare.

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Origin MediumGreek

MeaningA feminine of Cletus, itself a short form of the Greek Anacletus, 'called back; summoned; invoked.' It surfaced as a homespun American girl's name in the early twentieth century.

U.S. rank (1980)#8329 ↗ Rising

1980 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1935

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,013

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

Cleta grows from Cletus, a short form of the Greek Anacletus, 'called forth; summoned.' It circulated quietly in early-twentieth-century America, peaked in 1935, and slipped toward silence in the postwar decades (said 'KLEE-tuh').

Cleta belonged to the Depression-era generation and has all but vanished since. Rare, vintage, and plainspoken.

Did you know? Cleta is a feminine spin on Cletus ('summoned') that peaked around 1935 — a plainspoken name from the era of one-room schoolhouses.

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Cleta — Feminine of Cletus; Greek 'summoned'

Variations

CletisCledaCletha

Nicknames

CleoLettie

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Cleta…

Cleo— a like short Greek-rooted pick

Cletus— the masculine root

Velma— a like vintage -a name

Etta— a like old-fashioned favorite

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By themevintage rare greek-rooted 1930s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Cleta mean?

Cleta is a feminine form of Cletus, from the Greek for 'summoned; called forth.'

How do you pronounce Cleta?

It's said KLEE-tuh /ˈkliː.tə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Cleta a boy or girl name?

Cleta is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Cleta?

Cleta peaked in the mid-nineteen-thirties and is very rare today.