Chet
Boy name · #2187 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Chet? In official American birth records, Chet has been tracked continuously since 1909, giving it 116 years of documented American history.
Chet is currently the #2187 boy name in the United States — 65 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3022, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,692 boys born in 2025 was named Chet.
Babies named Chet per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 116-year story
Chet first appears in the Social Security records in 1909, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1963, when 164 boys were named Chet — good for #612 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 Chet against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Chet in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Chet is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Chet will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Chet is most common
State-level data for Chet 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 Chet
Statistically, parents drawn to Chet tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kurt, Kipp, Clint, Kent, and Cliff.
KurtKippClintKentCliffPeteStuartNeal
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Chet | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2183 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2098 |
| 2023 | 64 | #2221 |
| 2022 | 66 | #2191 |
| 2021 | 51 | #2552 |
| 2020 | 46 | #2689 |
| 2019 | 43 | #2851 |
| 2018 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2017 | 37 | #3123 |
| 2016 | 45 | #2689 |
| 2015 | 38 | #3022 |
| 2014 | 46 | #2622 |
| 2013 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2012 | 30 | #3530 |
| 2011 | 37 | #3046 |
| 2010 | 42 | #2826 |
| 2009 | 24 | #4160 |
| 2008 | 36 | #3165 |
| 2007 | 46 | #2643 |
| 2006 | 33 | #3227 |
| 2005 | 43 | #2567 |
| 2004 | 51 | #2238 |
| 2003 | 45 | #2349 |
| 2002 | 41 | #2428 |
| 2001 | 53 | #2007 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Chet?
In official American birth records, the name Chet first appeared in 1909 (over 116 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 116 years.
Is Chet a popular boy name?
Chet ranked #2187 among boys in 2025 with 65 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3022.
When was the name Chet most popular?
Chet peaked in 1963, when 164 American boys received the name (ranked #612 that year). Since 1963 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Chet?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,692 newborn American boys was named Chet. 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.