Lester
Boy name · #1635 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Lester? In official American birth records, Lester has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Lester is currently the #1635 boy name in the United States — 103 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1555, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,476 boys born in 2025 was named Lester.
The 145-year story
Lester first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 109 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 3,229 boys were named Lester — good for #62 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.
Babies named Lester per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Lester against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Lester in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Lester is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Lester will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Lester is most common
State-level data for Lester 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 Lester
Statistically, parents drawn to Lester tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chester, Luther, Sylvester, Lloyd, and Elmer.
ChesterLutherSylvesterLloydElmerMorrisVernonMilton
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Lester | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 103 | #1634 |
| 2024 | 111 | #1563 |
| 2023 | 82 | #1909 |
| 2022 | 96 | #1737 |
| 2021 | 109 | #1583 |
| 2020 | 109 | #1528 |
| 2019 | 100 | #1634 |
| 2018 | 93 | #1687 |
| 2017 | 88 | #1746 |
| 2016 | 105 | #1563 |
| 2015 | 104 | #1555 |
| 2014 | 106 | #1514 |
| 2013 | 125 | #1352 |
| 2012 | 104 | #1535 |
| 2011 | 102 | #1544 |
| 2010 | 118 | #1408 |
| 2009 | 127 | #1353 |
| 2008 | 142 | #1227 |
| 2007 | 120 | #1376 |
| 2006 | 146 | #1154 |
| 2005 | 128 | #1233 |
| 2004 | 137 | #1144 |
| 2003 | 148 | #1049 |
| 2002 | 139 | #1079 |
| 2001 | 142 | #1035 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Lester?
In official American birth records, the name Lester first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 109 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Lester a popular boy name?
Lester ranked #1635 among boys in 2025 with 103 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1555.
When was the name Lester most popular?
Lester peaked in 1918, when 3,229 American boys received the name (ranked #62 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Lester?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,476 newborn American boys was named Lester. 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.