Chester
From Middle English Chestre, from Old English Ċeaster, from ċeaster (“a town or city, especially a Roman one”).
Every Chester since 1880 — 122,302 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chester
Chester is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,588 in 2025 with 107 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 122,302 American babies have been named Chester. Its peak came in 1920, when 3,726 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 Chester stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chester 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 | — | — | 107 | #1,588 |
| 2024 | — | — | 102 | #1,652 |
| 2023 | — | — | 96 | #1,730 |
| 2022 | — | — | 94 | #1,761 |
| 2021 | — | — | 68 | #2,113 |
| 2020 | — | — | 99 | #1,622 |
| 2019 | — | — | 91 | #1,725 |
| 2018 | — | — | 93 | #1,689 |
| 2017 | — | — | 93 | #1,698 |
| 2016 | — | — | 76 | #1,926 |
| 2015 | — | — | 98 | #1,625 |
| 2014 | — | — | 84 | #1,783 |
| 2013 | — | — | 78 | #1,832 |
| 2012 | — | — | 71 | #1,986 |
| 2011 | — | — | 82 | #1,772 |
| 2010 | — | — | 74 | #1,913 |
| 2009 | — | — | 73 | #1,943 |
| 2008 | — | — | 92 | #1,665 |
| 2007 | — | — | 81 | #1,796 |
| 2006 | — | — | 71 | #1,895 |
| 2005 | — | — | 95 | #1,507 |
| 2004 | — | — | 90 | #1,492 |
| 2003 | — | — | 95 | #1,400 |
| 2002 | — | — | 97 | #1,359 |
| 2001 | — | — | 81 | #1,503 |
| 2000 | — | — | 109 | #1,228 |
| 1995 | — | — | 145 | #918 |
| 1990 | — | — | 226 | #674 |
| 1985 | — | — | 264 | #536 |
| 1980 | — | — | 348 | #446 |
| 1975 | — | — | 355 | #407 |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,199 | 515 | #359 |
| 1965 | — | — | 629 | #299 |
| 1960 | — | — | 936 | #260 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,967 | 1,256 | #203 |
| 1950 | 8 | #4,011 | 1,378 | #169 |
| 1945 | 14 | #2,350 | 1,445 | #144 |
| 1940 | 9 | #2,994 | 1,353 | #137 |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,962 | 1,432 | #121 |
| 1930 | 17 | #2,033 | 1,791 | #103 |
| 1925 | 19 | #2,043 | 2,719 | #73 |
| 1920 | 28 | #1,557 | 3,698 | #55 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,155 | 3,043 | #54 |
| 1910 | 11 | #1,440 | 561 | #61 |
| 1905 | — | — | 388 | #64 |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,600 | 364 | #72 |
| 1895 | — | — | 377 | #57 |
| 1890 | — | — | 263 | #69 |
| 1885 | — | — | 273 | #67 |
| 1880 | — | — | 168 | #85 |
Famous people named Chester
- Chester W. Nimitz Military personnel · 1885–1966
- Chester A. Arthur Politician · 1829–1886
- Chester Bennington Singer · 1976–2017
- Chester Barnard Economist · 1886–1961
- Chester Carlson Physicist · 1906–1968
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chester mean?
From Middle English Chestre, from Old English Ċeaster, from ċeaster (“a town or city, especially a Roman one”).
How popular is the name Chester in 2025?
Chester ranked #1,588 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 107 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Chester?
122,302 babies have been named Chester in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chester most popular?
Chester peaked in 1920, when 3,726 newborns received the name.
Is Chester a boy or girl name?
Chester is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Chester rising or falling?
Chester is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Chester?
Well-known people named Chester include Chester W. Nimitz (military personnel), Chester A. Arthur (politician), Chester Bennington (singer).