Clovelly Street according to Marshall gets its name from Clovelly in Devon where Charles Kingsley the novelist spent part of his youth. (Belfast Street Names. John J. Marshall). This is supported by the presence of Watermouth Crescent nearby, named after another place in North Devon. The connection may be a literary one, as both places feature in the writings of Charles Kingsley (1819-75), author of The Water-Babies.
"So Frank took horse and rode thereon ten miles or more; and then, as there were no inns on the road in those days, or indeed in these, and he had some ten miles more of hilly road before him, he turned down the hill towards Clovelly Court, to obtain, after the hospitable humane fashion of those days, good entertainment for man and horse from Mr. Cary the squire" (Kingsley, Westward Ho!, 1855).
"That on the application of the owner Mr John Stringer two new streets on his property situate off Springfield Road be named Lynmouth Street and Clovelly Street, and that he be requested to submit other names in lieu of those he proposes to name Waterrnouth Street and Lynton Street, as there are already other streets of almost similar names in the City". TIC, Minutes 28th September 1898.