Chloe

Etymology

From the Greek 'chloe' (χλόη), meaning fresh green growth or the first green shoots of spring. It was also an epithet of Demeter in Greek religion, but its use in 1 Corinthians is simply as a woman's personal name.

Who they were

Chloe appears in a single verse of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians: 'I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.' That one mention tells us several things. She was the head of a household important enough to be named — in a world where women were rarely credited as sources of information. Her household had direct communication with Paul, possibly in Ephesus. She was trusted enough that Paul would cite her people by name in a letter to the entire Corinthian church — effectively attributing the report to her and thereby putting her reputation on the line. Some scholars think she may have been a businesswoman with people travelling between Corinth and Ephesus. Her name — fresh green shoot — captures the vitality of the early church communities where women held roles of influence, communication, and authority that later generations sometimes overlooked.

Character qualities

• Trusted communicator
• Head of household
• Willingness to report truthfully
• Community leader

Where they appear

Themes

Variants & related forms

Chloë · Cloe · Kloe

Related names