Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1923

Chesley

Meaning Chesley is both a given name and a surname Gender Unisex · 21% girls Rank 2025 #7,283

Chesley is both a given name and a surname.

Rank 2025
#7,283
among boys
Babies in 2025
11
named Chesley
How common
1 in 155,280
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1923
48 babies
All-time total
2,919
#3,024 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Chesley popularity over time

2,919 babies have been named Chesley since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – 46 46 5 – #721
1890s – 61 61 6 +33% #636
1900s – 66 66 7 +8% #755
1910s – 241 241 24 +265% #938
1920s 5 378 383 38 +59% #1,010
1930s – 270 270 27 -30% #1,039
1940s – 263 263 26 -3% #1,142
1950s – 218 218 22 -17% #1,387
1960s 18 151 169 17 -22% #1,867
1970s 71 161 232 23 +37% #1,951
1980s 191 165 356 36 +53% #2,098
1990s 175 113 288 29 -19% #3,627
2000s 80 65 145 15 -50% #5,923
2010s 56 66 122 12 -16% #6,410
2020s (to 2025) 29 30 59 10 -19% #6,704

The story of Chesley

Chesley is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,283 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 2,919 American babies have been named Chesley, about 79% boys and 21% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1923, when 48 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chesley stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Chesley?

The median living Chesley is about 42 years old; half are between 30 and 60. An estimated 1,600 people named Chesley are alive in the United States today.

median 42 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Chesley year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 11 #7,283
2024 – – – –
2023 7 #12,417 – –
2022 10 #9,846 – –
2021 7 #12,482 7 #9,912
2020 5 #15,622 12 #6,704
2019 7 #12,724 – –
2018 7 #12,765 – –
2017 8 #11,887 – –
2016 – – 8 #9,000
2015 6 #14,899 8 #8,891
2014 10 #10,299 10 #7,648
2013 8 #12,235 11 #7,118
2012 10 #10,605 10 #7,651
2011 – – 6 #11,069
2010 – – 13 #6,410
2009 10 #10,854 10 #7,787
2008 8 #12,842 – –
2007 5 #18,208 – –
2006 10 #10,762 – –
2005 11 #9,588 13 #5,923
2004 7 #13,045 6 #10,179
2003 6 #14,230 5 #11,172
2002 5 #15,950 11 #6,152
2001 8 #11,223 10 #6,538
2000 10 #9,307 10 #6,394
1995 26 #3,999 11 #5,185
1990 25 #4,031 16 #3,627
1985 17 #4,492 18 #2,732
1980 17 #4,355 22 #2,290
1975 8 #6,597 18 #2,380
1970 5 #8,194 14 #2,521
1965 – – 17 #1,926
1960 – – 19 #1,867
1955 – – 14 #2,156
1950 – – 20 #1,662
1945 – – 29 #1,230
1940 – – 32 #1,187
1935 – – 29 #1,250
1930 – – 44 #1,039
1925 – – 34 #1,230
1920 – – 42 #1,092
1915 – – 36 #1,070
1910 – – 12 #938
1905 – – 9 #848
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – 7 #822
1885 – – 6 #849
1880 – – 5 #937

Famous people named Chesley

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Chesley Sullenberger Chesley Sullenberger American pilot and diplomat (born 1951) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Chesley, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Chesley?

The median living Chesley is about 42 years old. Half of all living Chesleys are between 30 and 60 years old.

How many people named Chesley are alive today?

An estimated 1,600 people named Chesley are alive in the United States, based on 2,919 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Chesley mean?

Chesley is both a given name and a surname.

How popular is the name Chesley in 2025?

Chesley ranked #7,283 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Chesley?

2,919 babies have been named Chesley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Chesley most popular?

Chesley peaked in 1923, when 48 newborns received the name.

Is Chesley a boy or girl name?

Chesley is used for both: about 21% of babies named Chesley have been girls and 79% boys.

Is the name Chesley rising or falling?

Chesley is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Chesley?

Well-known people named Chesley include Chesley Sullenberger (pilot).

Names like Chesley

Names that sound and feel close to Chesley: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Chesley with similar names → More names starting with C →