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.

People named Clelia

Fictional characters

  • Clélia Conti, a character in the novel The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal
  • Clélia, a character played by Sophie Marceau in the film La Fidélité
  • Metastasio's libretto for "Il trionfo di Clelia" - opera set by Hasse, Gluck, and other composers
  • Clelia Waldgrave, a character in "The Nerd," a two-act comedy written by American actor/playwright Larry Shue

Notes