Chester
Boy name · #1585 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Chester? In official American birth records, Chester has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chester is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chester will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chester is most common
State-level data for Chester is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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
How old is the name Chester?
In official American birth records, the name Chester first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 168 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.