Cloa
A feminine name derived from a Greek word meaning "young green shoot".
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Cloa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Cloa today is around 101 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cloa births was 1920 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cloa. 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 Cloa is about 101 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cloas were born before 1935.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Cloa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1920
9 babies that year
Average age
101
years old
1934 SSA rank
#4,400
Tracked since 1906
Popularity
Cloa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cloa from the 1900s through to the 1930s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 32 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Cloa remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cloa 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 Cloa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cloa
The name Cloa is believed to have originated from the Gaelic language, derived from the word "cló" which means "praise" or "to praise." It is a relatively uncommon name that has been used primarily in Ireland and Scotland since ancient times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cloa can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1069, there is a mention of a woman named Cloa ingen Artgail, who was the wife of a prominent Irish chieftain.
In the 12th century, the name appears in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland), a legendary account of the origins of the Irish people. The text mentions a figure named Cloa, who was said to be one of the descendants of the ancient Irish king, Éremón.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Cloa was occasionally used by Irish and Scottish families, although it remained relatively rare. One notable historical figure with this name was Cloa MacLeod, a 16th-century Scottish noblewoman and the daughter of Torquil MacLeod, the chief of the Clan MacLeod.
Another individual with the name Cloa was a 17th-century Irish poet and harper, Cloa Ó Ceallaigh, who was renowned for her skill in composing intricate verse and music. She lived during the tumultuous period of the Irish Confederate Wars and her work often reflected the struggles and resilience of the Irish people during that time.
In the 19th century, a woman named Cloa O'Brien gained recognition as a skilled lacemaker and embroiderer from County Clare, Ireland. Her exquisite needlework pieces were highly sought after and can be found in various museum collections around the world.
While the name Cloa has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried on by individuals who have left their mark in various fields, from literature and music to craftsmanship and nobility. The name's origins and meaning reflect the rich cultural heritage of Ireland and Scotland, serving as a reminder of the enduring legacy of these ancient Celtic civilizations.
People
Cloa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cloa 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
Cloa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cloa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cloa 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Cloa a common name?
We classify Cloa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 70 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cloa most popular?
The single biggest year for Cloa was 1920, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cloa is about 101 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Cloa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Cloa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Cloa 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.
Is Cloa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Cloa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Cloa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Cloa?
Want to know how many Americans are named Cloa? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.