Meaning: Its source is Kleopatra, a Greek name meaning "Father's pride."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English and Greek.

Nicknames: Cleo and Clio

Source Forms: Kleopatra

Popularity: The name Cleopatra ranked 2655th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: The most famous Cleopatra was a queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, a descendant of one of Alexander the Great's generals who came to rule the region upon his death. As a result the family was ethnically Greek, and hence the Greek derivation of the famous queen's name.

The lover of both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony has captured the imagination of dramatic poets for centuries. To modern movie-goers she may be permanently identified with screen star Elizabeth Taylor, who portrayed her in the 1963 hit movie Cleopatra.