Nestor
Every Nestor since 1885 — 10,430 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nestor
Nestor is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,535 in 2025 with 113 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1885, 10,430 American babies have been named Nestor. Its peak came in 1991, when 300 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
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 Nestor stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nestor year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | #1,535 |
| 2024 | 97 | #1,718 |
| 2023 | 91 | #1,782 |
| 2022 | 76 | #2,018 |
| 2021 | 94 | #1,734 |
| 2020 | 89 | #1,740 |
| 2019 | 108 | #1,558 |
| 2018 | 96 | #1,667 |
| 2017 | 126 | #1,398 |
| 2016 | 107 | #1,552 |
| 2015 | 125 | #1,386 |
| 2014 | 108 | #1,502 |
| 2013 | 106 | #1,526 |
| 2012 | 115 | #1,445 |
| 2011 | 123 | #1,370 |
| 2010 | 165 | #1,130 |
| 2009 | 157 | #1,159 |
| 2008 | 194 | #1,006 |
| 2007 | 209 | #947 |
| 2006 | 201 | #935 |
| 2005 | 226 | #829 |
| 2004 | 197 | #882 |
| 2003 | 189 | #891 |
| 2002 | 196 | #847 |
| 2001 | 218 | #779 |
| 2000 | 236 | #727 |
| 1995 | 253 | #657 |
| 1990 | 264 | #624 |
| 1985 | 139 | #757 |
| 1980 | 106 | #866 |
| 1975 | 56 | #1,134 |
| 1970 | 79 | #903 |
| 1965 | 42 | #1,182 |
| 1960 | 51 | #1,092 |
| 1955 | 34 | #1,305 |
| 1950 | 27 | #1,414 |
| 1945 | 19 | #1,564 |
| 1940 | 19 | #1,609 |
| 1935 | 24 | #1,414 |
| 1930 | 32 | #1,271 |
| 1925 | 27 | #1,441 |
| 1920 | 19 | #1,860 |
| 1915 | 31 | #1,177 |
| 1910 | 7 | #1,384 |
| 1905 | 5 | #1,367 |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | 7 | #948 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,044 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Nestor
- Nestor Makhno Military personnel · 1888–1934
- Nestor Politician
- Nestor the Chronicler Writer · 1056–1106
- Nestor Lakoba Politician · 1893–1936
- Nestor Omar Piccoli Soccer player · b. 1965
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Nestor in 2025?
Nestor ranked #1,535 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 113 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nestor?
10,430 babies have been named Nestor in the United States since 1885, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nestor most popular?
Nestor peaked in 1991, when 300 newborns received the name.
Is Nestor a boy or girl name?
Nestor is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nestor rising or falling?
Nestor has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nestor?
Well-known people named Nestor include Nestor Makhno (military personnel), Nestor (politician), Nestor the Chronicler (writer).