Cleola
An English feminine name derived from the Greek "kleios" meaning "illustrious, renowned".
Name Census estimates that about 210 living Americans carry the first name Cleola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cleola today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cleola births was 1925 (48 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cleola. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Cleola is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cleolas were born before 1957.
People living today
210
~ 1 in 1,632,164 Americans
Peak year
1925
48 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1976 SSA rank
#8,353
Tracked since 1896
Popularity
Cleola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cleola from the 1890s through to the 1970s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 322 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cleola by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cleola during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Cleolas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas recorded the most babies named Cleola, while North Carolina, Louisiana, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cleola
The name Cleola has its origins in the Greek language and can be traced back to the 19th century. It is derived from the Greek word "kleos," meaning "glory" or "renown," and the suffix "-la," which was often used to form feminine names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cleola can be found in the United States Census records from the late 19th century. It is believed that the name gained popularity in the Southern states of the country during this time period.
In ancient Greek mythology, there is a reference to a character named Cleola, who was said to be a nymph associated with the goddess Artemis. However, it is unclear if the modern name has any direct connection to this mythological figure.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cleola. One such person was Cleola Carr Segrest (1888-1979), an American educator and author from Alabama. She wrote several books on Southern culture and folklore.
Another prominent figure with the name Cleola was Cleola Spann (1911-1997), an African American artist and sculptor from Texas. Her works were exhibited in various galleries and museums across the United States.
In the early 20th century, Cleola Merrill (1902-1986) was a renowned American actress and singer. She appeared in several Broadway productions and also worked in Hollywood films during the Golden Age of cinema.
Cleola Simmonds (1921-2002) was a Jamaican-born actress and singer who gained popularity in the United Kingdom. She performed in numerous stage productions and television shows throughout her career.
Cleola Hazelwood (1922-2008) was an American civil rights activist from Mississippi. She played a pivotal role in the desegregation efforts in her home state and worked closely with organizations like the NAACP.
While the name Cleola has Greek roots and a rich historical background, it is relatively uncommon in modern times, although it continues to be used occasionally as a given name in various parts of the world.
People
Cleola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cleola as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cleola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cleola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 210 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cleola going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,632,164 US residents.
Is Cleola a common name?
We classify Cleola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 74.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,196 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cleola most popular?
The single biggest year for Cleola was 1925, when 48 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cleola is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cleola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cleola in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.