Cliona: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Cliona is an Irish girl’s name of unknown meaning, a form of Clíodhna, a fairy queen of Irish legend. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated November 2026
- Irish spelling
- Clíona
- Gender
- Girl
- Also spelled
- Cleona
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 273 for girls (2025)
How do you pronounce Cliona?
Cliona is pronounced KLEE-ona. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first. Other spellings: Cleona.
What does Cliona mean?
Clíona is a form of Clíodhna, the name of a fairy queen in Irish legend; the meaning of the name itself is unknown. Other spellings include Clídna and the anglicised Cleena. Clíodhna is described as a queen of the banshees of the Tuatha Dé Danann, ruling over the fairies of south Munster.
In the tale of Clíodhna’s Wave, told in the medieval Acallam na Senórach, she falls in love with Ciabhán of the Curling Hair, a mortal, and leaves the otherworldly Land of Promise with him. While he goes ashore to hunt, a great wave sweeps her away; Tonn Chlíodhna, “Clíodhna’s Wave,” is placed near Glandore harbour. Legend also gives her three bright birds whose sweet song heals the sick, and a palace at Carrigcleena near Mallow.
Sources: Behind the Name, Wikipedia.
How popular is Cliona in Ireland?
In 2025, 15 baby girls in Ireland were named Clíodhna, which made it No. 273 that year. Another 8 were registered as Cliodhna, Cliona or Clíona. That's down from No. 244 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1998, when 43 baby girls were named Cliona, No. 83 that year. The most babies got the name in 1996: 96. The records go back to 1964, when 10 baby girls were given the name.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23 | No. 273 (Clíodhna) |
| 2024 | 28 | No. 213 (Clíodhna) |
| 2023 | 32 | No. 200 (Clíodhna) |
| 2022 | 25 | No. 237 (Clíodhna) |
| 2021 | 22 | No. 363 (Clíodhna) |
| 2020 | 7 | No. 700 (Clíodhna) |
| 2019 | 24 | No. 284 (Clíodhna) |
| 2018 | 34 | No. 267 (Clíodhna) |
| 2017 | 23 | No. 301 (Cliodhna) |
| 2016 | 25 | No. 335 (Cliona) |
| 2015 | 33 | No. 244 (Cliodhna) |
| 2014 | 29 | No. 304 (Cliodhna) |
| 2013 | 26 | No. 340 (Cliodhna) |
| 2012 | 35 | No. 264 (Cliodhna) |
| 2011 | 59 | No. 189 (Cliodhna) |
| 2010 | 64 | No. 179 (Cliona) |
| 2009 | 67 | No. 177 (Cliodhna) |
| 2008 | 51 | No. 176 (Cliodhna) |
| 2007 | 53 | No. 186 (Cliodhna) |
| 2006 | 49 | No. 174 (Cliodhna) |
| 2005 | 58 | No. 138 (Cliona) |
| 2004 | 49 | No. 170 (Cliodhna) |
| 2003 | 45 | No. 174 (Cliodhna) |
| 2002 | 64 | No. 123 (Cliona) |
| 2001 | 61 | No. 129 (Cliodhna) |
| 2000 | 47 | No. 143 (Cliona) |
| 1999 | 50 | No. 130 (Cliona) |
| 1998 | 70 | No. 83 (Cliona) |
| 1997 | 92 | No. 94 (Cliona) |
| 1996 | 96 | No. 92 (Cliona) |
| 1995 | 68 | No. 133 (Cliona) |
| 1994 | 79 | No. 114 (Cliona) |
| 1993 | 78 | No. 117 (Cliona) |
| 1992 | 67 | No. 135 (Cliona) |
| 1991 | 96 | No. 97 (Cliona) |
| 1990 | 60 | No. 118 (Cliona) |
| 1989 | 52 | No. 146 (Cliona) |
| 1988 | 39 | No. 177 (Cliona) |
| 1987 | 42 | No. 200 (Cliona) |
| 1986 | 29 | No. 198 (Cliona) |
| 1985 | 32 | No. 215 (Cliona) |
| 1984 | 46 | No. 168 (Cliona) |
| 1983 | 32 | No. 203 (Cliona) |
| 1982 | 61 | No. 151 (Cliona) |
| 1981 | 47 | No. 188 (Cliona) |
| 1980 | 54 | No. 150 (Cliona) |
| 1979 | 53 | No. 170 (Cliona) |
| 1978 | 59 | No. 140 (Cliona) |
| 1977 | 48 | No. 167 (Cliona) |
| 1976 | 53 | No. 153 (Cliona) |
| 1975 | 61 | No. 146 (Cliona) |
| 1974 | 43 | No. 175 (Cliona) |
| 1973 | 44 | No. 165 (Cliona) |
| 1972 | 43 | No. 169 (Cliona) |
| 1971 | 50 | No. 133 (Cliona) |
| 1970 | 45 | No. 141 (Cliona) |
| 1969 | 22 | No. 206 (Cliona) |
| 1968 | 27 | No. 170 (Cliona) |
| 1967 | 13 | No. 214 (Cliona) |
| 1966 | 8 | No. 256 (Cliona) |
| 1965 | 22 | No. 192 (Cliona) |
| 1964 | 10 | No. 226 (Cliona) |
Cliona in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Cliona, letter by letter.
- CColl, hazel
- LLuis, rowan
- IIodhadh, yew
- OOnn, gorse
- NNion, ash
- AAilm, pine
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Cliona
Questions about Cliona
- How do you pronounce Cliona?
- Cliona is pronounced KLEE-ona, with two syllables and the stress on the first.
- What does Cliona mean?
- Cliona is an Irish girl’s name of unknown meaning, a form of Clíodhna, a fairy queen of Irish legend.
- Is Cliona a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Cliona is a girl's name.
- How do you spell Cliona in Irish?
- In Irish it's spelled Clíona.
- How popular is Cliona in Ireland?
- In 2025, Clíodhna was No. 273 for girls in Ireland, with 15 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1998, at No. 83.
Sources: popularity from the Central Statistics Office, table VSA60 (CC BY 4.0). Meaning and origin from Behind the Name and Wikipedia. How we research names: our sources. Spotted a mistake? support@babynamesofireland.com