Clotho

Clotho is the Latinized form of Klotho, a name meaning "spinner" in Greek. In Greek mythology, Clotho was one of the three Fates, or Moirai, who controlled human destiny. She was responsible for spinning the thread of life, while her sisters Lachesis measured it and Atropos cut it.

Clotho is generally considered the youngest of the three Fates, though in later sources like Giovanni Boccaccio's Genealogia Deorum Gentilium, she is described as the eldest. Her role extended beyond spinning: she determined when a person was born, effectively guiding major life events. She also had the power to decide when mortals or deities would be saved or condemned. In one myth, Clotho resurrected Pelops after his father killed him. Her Roman equivalent was Nona.

Together with her sisters and Hermes, Clotho played a pivotal role in divine affairs, emphasizing her influence over fate and life itself.

Notable Bearers

As a mythological figure, Clotho appears in many ancient Greek works, including Hesiod's Theogony and Plato's Republic. In modern times, the name has been used in various cultural contexts, such as in the 2012 film Cloud Atlas, where a character named Clotho is a genetically engineered fabricant.

Related Names

Klotho, the original Greek form, is the direct root. Variants are rare due to the name's specific mythological context. The siblings Lachesis and Atropos are closely linked. The name aligns semantically with Fates and Moirai.

• Meaning: Spinner
• Origin: Greek mythology
• Type: Given name (rare)
• Regions used: Western cultures mythologically, occasionally in modern fiction