Find out how popular the first name Clio has been for the last 38 years (from 1986 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Clio by gender

Based on the last 38 years of data, Clio is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 26 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Clio.

The history of the first name Clio

The given name Clio originates from Ancient Greek and is the name of the muse of history in Greek mythology. The name derives from the Greek word "kleiō" meaning "to recount" or "to celebrate." It likely emerged as a personal name in ancient Greece, though records from that era are scarce.

Clio was one of the nine muses in Greek mythology, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne. As the muse of history, she was often depicted carrying a scroll and wearing a crown of laurel leaves. Her name appears frequently in ancient Greek literature and poetry as an invocation to the muse for inspiration in recounting historical events.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Clio was Clio of Byzantium, a Greek historian who lived in the 4th century BC. Her works, which have been lost, focused on the history of the regions around the Black Sea.

In the Renaissance period, the name Clio gained popularity among the educated classes as a nod to the classical ideals of the era. One notable bearer was Clio Lucretia Rickman (1711-1808), an English poet and playwright.

In the 19th century, the name Clio was used by several notable figures, including Clio Rickman (1840-1920), an English writer and feminist, and Clio Hinton Ricketts (1871-1954), an American artist and advocate for Native American rights.

Another well-known individual with the name Clio was Clio Sterne (1888-1958), an Austrian-born British actress and dancer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions in the early 20th century.

More recently, Clio Gould (1915-1985) was a British actress and dancer who performed in several West End productions and films during the mid-20th century.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Clio was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Clio, please contact us.

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