Clelia
Clelia is a feminine given name derived from the Latin Cloelia, associated with the root of the verb cluere "to have renown, fame," and the name therefore means "illustrious, famous." In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage, but managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber.
Meaning & Origin of Clelia
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Clelia is a feminine given name derived from the Latin Cloelia, associated with the root of the verb cluere "to have renown, fame," and the name therefore means "illustrious, famous." In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage, but managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Clelia
Clelia first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1903, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 21 Clelias were born — ranking #1,889 that year. As of 2026, Clelia ranks #13,427 for baby girls with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 530 Clelias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Clelia
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Clelia Barbieri (1847–1870), Italian Catholic saint
- Clelia Grillo Borromeo (1684–1777), Italian mathematician, scientist, and countess
- Clelia Farnese ( c. 1556 – 1613), daughter of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1520–1589)
- Clelia Durazzo Grimaldi (1760–1830), Italian botanist and marchesa
- Clelia Haji-Ioannou (born 1970/1971), Cypriot billionaire
- Clelia Matania (1918–1981), Italian actress
- Clelia Duel Mosher (1863–1940), American hygienist and women's health advocate
- Clelia Maria Josepha (Giuseppina) Strepponi (1815–1897), Italian operatic soprano, wife of Giuseppe Verdi
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Clelia
Phonetically similar names — useful when Clelia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clelia
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About the name Clelia
Clelia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1903 and has accumulated 530 births in the dataset. Clelia's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #1,889. Use the chart and map above to compare Clelia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1920 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.