Chester

Last seen for girls in 1983 at #10,275 · #1,585 for boys in 2025, 107 births
Given to boys 99.3% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1919 · 3,432 births
Debut · boys
168 births
In top 100 · boys
50 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
121,474
since 1880

Chester over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201942peak #53, 1919boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#1,585107
2024—#1,650102
2023—#1,72796
2022—#1,76094
2021—#2,10968
2020—#1,62199
2019—#1,72391
2018—#1,68793
2017—#1,69593
2016—#1,92176
2015—#1,62598
2014—#1,78184
2013—#1,82778
2012—#1,98371
2011—#1,77182
2010—#1,91374
2009—#1,94273
2008—#1,66592
2007—#1,79581
2006—#1,89371
2005—#1,50695
2004—#1,49190
2003—#1,40095
2002—#1,35797
2001—#1,50281
2000—#1,228109
1999—#1,241100
1998—#1,096117
1997—#1,045122
1996—#1,006124
1995—#917145
1994—#886149
1993—#853154
1992—#724203
1991—#700209
1990—#673226
1989—#664228
1988—#631227
1987—#572251
1986—#600220
1985—#536264
1984—#503285
1983#10,2755#494292
1982—#464332
1981—#441349
1980—#446348
1979—#423355
1978—#398377
1977—#396392
1976—#404370
1975—#406355
1974#7,6806#367428
1973—#373422
1972#7,2926#388411
1971—#357507
1970#7,0706#359515
1969—#332544
1968#7,0165#345500
1967—#325534
1966#5,2737#323536
1965—#299629
1964—#295710
1963—#286732
1962#5,8606#277775
1961#6,5675#265888
1960—#260936
1959#6,2455#2531,001
1958#4,8907#2401,051
1957#3,30913#2191,182
1956—#2071,254
1955#5,8285#2031,256
1954#4,2788#1851,421
1953#3,26912#1831,380
1952#2,92114#1801,456
1951#4,8336#1781,401
1950#3,9628#1691,378
1949#3,17611#1631,440
1948#3,35010#1581,556
1947#3,06112#1541,714
1946#2,88012#1491,620
1945#2,33914#1441,445
1944#2,28715#1371,521
1943#3,2499#1371,631
1942#2,31115#1371,559
1941#2,84610#1361,448
1940#2,9639#1371,353
1939#3,7826#1331,296
1938—#1361,236
1937#2,31713#1291,272
1936#2,26313#1271,278
1935#2,9269#1211,432
1934#1,77119#1231,385
1933#3,7536#1191,399
1932#2,36513#1121,607
1931#1,87618#1061,717
1930#2,02317#1031,791
1929#1,95318#961,969
1928#1,42530#882,243
1927#2,09518#852,407
1926#1,32535#792,534
1925#2,01819#732,719
1924#1,81123#673,033
1923#1,78223#633,150
1922#1,83622#643,133
1921#1,76524#563,549
1920#1,55028#553,698
1919#1,42330#533,432
1918#1,88720#543,692
1917#1,70821#563,338
1916#1,73920#543,212
1915#2,14314#543,043
1914#1,54118#562,289
1913#1,60114#561,765
1912#1,35216#551,460
1911#1,6569#58708
1910#1,42111#61561
1909#2,2085#66475
1908#2,1015#66461
1907—#67424
1906#1,3219#61420
1905—#64388
1904—#69355
1903#1,2049#68327
1902#1,4387#74321
1901—#75253
1900#1,5617#72364
1899#1,3946#66288
1898—#66321
1897—#67290
1896#1,2927#63329
1895—#57377
1894#1,4855#63325
1893—#66291
1892—#72285
1891—#68252
1890—#69263
1889—#69274
1888—#72288
1887—#78207
1886—#65287
1885—#67273
1884—#58338
1883—#59290
1882—#60300
1881—#59274
1880—#85168
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Chester was already there! It came in at #85, and was given to 168 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2001–2024, when fewer than 110 boys a year got the name.

Where Chester is popular in 1942

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedAKMaine: #124 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 758 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedNHWashington: #184 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,460 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #202 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,229 boysMNIllinois: #132 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 1,027 boysILWisconsin: #131 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 1,096 boysWIMichigan: #121 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 839 boysMINew York: #126 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 1,167 boysNYMassachusetts: #77 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 619 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedRIOregon: #195 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 1,460 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedSDIowa: #200 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,760 boysIAIndiana: #124 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 835 boysINOhio: #128 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 1,004 boysOHPennsylvania: #90 for boys · 140 births · 1 in 666 boysPANew Jersey: #106 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 936 boysNJConnecticut: #99 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 835 boysCTCalifornia: #150 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 1,074 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedUTColorado: #167 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,064 boysCONebraska: #155 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 975 boysNEMissouri: #123 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 717 boysMOKentucky: #83 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 405 boysKYWest Virginia: #84 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 444 boysWVVirginia: #158 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 984 boysVAMaryland: #111 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 679 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedDEArizona: #181 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,005 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Chester, so not publishedNMKansas: #143 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 764 boysKSArkansas: #110 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 551 boysARTennessee: #92 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 523 boysTNNorth Carolina: #139 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 816 boysNCSouth Carolina: #240 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,982 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #138 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 917 boysDCOklahoma: #114 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 551 boysOKLouisiana: #122 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 609 boysLAMississippi: #85 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 456 boysMSAlabama: #125 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 778 boysALGeorgia: #178 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 1,217 boysGAHawaii: #104 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 523 boysHITexas: #172 for boys · 80 births · 1 in 881 boysTXFlorida: #149 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 846 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Massachusetts#77 · 1 in 619
  2. Kentucky#83 · 1 in 405
  3. West Virginia#84 · 1 in 444
  4. Mississippi#85 · 1 in 456
  5. Pennsylvania#90 · 1 in 666

Best ever in a state: #18 in Kentucky, 1910.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Massachusetts#77641 in 619
Kentucky#83741 in 405
West Virginia#84471 in 444
Mississippi#85521 in 456
Pennsylvania#901401 in 666
Tennessee#92611 in 523
Connecticut#99201 in 835
Hawaii#10481 in 523
New Jersey#106401 in 936
Arkansas#110381 in 551
Maryland#111271 in 679
Oklahoma#114391 in 551
Michigan#121691 in 839
Louisiana#122431 in 609
Missouri#123471 in 717
Indiana#124411 in 835
Maine#124101 in 758
Alabama#125421 in 778
New York#1261011 in 1,167
Ohio#128681 in 1,004
Wisconsin#131271 in 1,096
Illinois#132721 in 1,027
District of Columbia#138101 in 917
North Carolina#139511 in 816
Kansas#143201 in 764
Florida#149221 in 846
California#150681 in 1,074
Nebraska#155111 in 975
Virginia#158301 in 984
Colorado#167101 in 1,064
Texas#172801 in 881
Georgia#178291 in 1,217
Arizona#18161 in 1,005
Washington#184121 in 1,460
Oregon#19571 in 1,460
Iowa#200131 in 1,760
Minnesota#202121 in 2,229
South Carolina#240121 in 1,982
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Chester
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 65 spots since 2024 (#1,650 → #1,585)
  • 36 spots since 2020 (#1,621 → #1,585)
  • 40 spots since 2015 (#1,625 → #1,585)
  • Biggest jump: 28 spots in 1987 (#600 → #572)
  • Biggest drop: 129 spots in 1993 (#724 → #853)
Rise & fade · boys
39 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1919 at #53 (3,432 births)
  • Births halved by 1932, 13 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 50 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 50 yrs · run 1880–1929
  • Top 1,000: 116 yrs · run 1880–1995
Share of babies · boys
1 in 275
  • Highest: 1 in 275 boys born in 1918 were named Chester (0.36%)
  • Latest: 1 in 15,963 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
  • Its best rank, #53 in 1919, was only 1 in 286 (0.35%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 23.4% of all boys named Chester (28,435) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s2,699#58 (1884)#67
1890s3,021#57 (1895)#66
1900s3,788#61 (1906)#68
1910s23,500#53 (1919)#56
1920s28,435#55 (1920)#73
1930s14,413#103 (1930)#121
1940s15,287#136 (1941)#145
1950s12,780#169 (1950)#202
1960s6,784#260 (1960)#301
1970s4,132#357 (1971)#387
1980s2,796#441 (1981)#535
1990s1,549#673 (1990)#914
2000s884#1,228 (2000)#1,578
2010s840#1,625 (2015)#1,793
2020s566#1,585 (2025)#1,742

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Chester in 1942

girls
#2,311
15 births · 1 in 90,048 girls
boys
#137
1,559 births · 1 in 886 boys

Top girls' names in 1942

  1. #1Mary63,256
  2. #2Barbara44,739
  3. #3Patricia39,465
  4. #4Linda31,613
  5. #5Carol30,272
  6. #6Sandra24,994
  7. #7Judith24,792
  8. #8Nancy23,327
  9. #9Betty21,659
  10. #10Carolyn19,978
  11. #2,311Chester15

Top boys' names in 1942

  1. #1James77,182
  2. #2Robert71,845
  3. #3John66,043
  4. #4William54,890
  5. #5Richard43,593
  6. #6David35,905
  7. #7Charles35,854
  8. #8Thomas31,100
  9. #9Ronald27,138
  10. #10Donald23,955
  11. #137Chester1,559
More about 1942

girls

1,350,719 girls got a published name in 1942; 1 in 90,048 of them was named Chester, which outranked 57.0% of the 5,378 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Chester
  1. #2,214Venice16
  2. #2,214Verlyn16
  3. #2,214Wyona16
  4. #2,311Chester15
  5. #2,311Aggie15
  6. #2,311Aleda15
  7. #2,311Annamay15
  8. #2,416Adline14
  9. #2,416Alona14
  10. #2,416Aneta14

Tied with 104 names at #2,311; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1941
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,567Michal#4,420 → #853
  2. ↑ 1,885Merrily#2,397 → #512
  3. ↑ 1,081Merrilee#1,954 → #873
  4. ↑ 783Jerrilyn#1,610 → #827
  5. ↑ 760Candace#1,418 → #658
Fallers
  1. ↓ 354Rebekah#924 → #1,278
  2. ↓ 350Leatha#830 → #1,180
  3. ↓ 307Nella#993 → #1,300
  4. ↓ 272Arla#934 → #1,206
  5. ↓ 262Vivien#735 → #997

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,381,161 boys got a published name in 1942; 1 in 886 of them was named Chester, which outranked 96.6% of the 4,044 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Chester
  1. #134Joel1,595
  2. #135Darrell1,591
  3. #136Calvin1,578
  4. #137Chester1,559
  5. #138Johnnie1,558
  6. #139Brian1,523
  7. #140Freddie1,514
Biggest movers since 1941
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,993Macarthur#3,505 → #512
  2. ↑ 1,546Mcarthur#1,903 → #357
  3. ↑ 655Collin#1,588 → #933
  4. ↑ 514Delmas#1,254 → #740
  5. ↑ 390Colin#713 → #323
Fallers
  1. ↓ 525Otho#971 → #1,496
  2. ↓ 440Florian#918 → #1,358
  3. ↓ 421Martha#960 → #1,381
  4. ↓ 407Watson#951 → #1,358
  5. ↓ 371Gaylen#987 → #1,358

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1942 →