Chester
Boy name · #1585 in 2025 · Uniqueness 66/100
Chester ranks #1585 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 107 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1625, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 16,822 boys born in 2025 was named Chester.
Babies named Chester per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Chester first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 168 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 3,698 boys were named Chester — good for #55 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Chester against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chester in class?
Chester scores 66 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Chester is most common
Geography matters for names, and Chester is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Chesters were CA (13), WI (10), PA (9), TX (9), OH (7). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Chester
Statistically, parents drawn to Chester tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Lester, Sylvester, Luther, Clarence, and Cecil.
LesterSylvesterLutherClarenceCecilCarmenCliffordClaude
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chester | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 107 | #1585 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1650 |
| 2023 | 96 | #1727 |
| 2022 | 94 | #1760 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2109 |
| 2020 | 99 | #1621 |
| 2019 | 91 | #1723 |
| 2018 | 93 | #1687 |
| 2017 | 93 | #1695 |
| 2016 | 76 | #1921 |
| 2015 | 98 | #1625 |
| 2014 | 84 | #1781 |
| 2013 | 78 | #1827 |
| 2012 | 71 | #1983 |
| 2011 | 82 | #1771 |
| 2010 | 74 | #1913 |
| 2009 | 73 | #1942 |
| 2008 | 92 | #1665 |
| 2007 | 81 | #1795 |
| 2006 | 71 | #1893 |
| 2005 | 95 | #1506 |
| 2004 | 90 | #1491 |
| 2003 | 95 | #1400 |
| 2002 | 97 | #1357 |
| 2001 | 81 | #1502 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Chester a popular boy name?
Chester ranked #1585 among boys in 2025 with 107 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1625.
When was the name Chester most popular?
Chester peaked in 1920, when 3,698 American boys received the name (ranked #55 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Chester?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 16,822 newborn American boys was named Chester. It scores 66/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.