Lester

Last seen for girls in 1985 at #9,307 · #1,634 for boys in 2025, 103 births
Given to boys 99.0% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1906 · 482 births
Debut · boys
109 births
In top 100 · boys
46 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
130,688
since 1880

Lester over time

boys

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

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201924peak #52, 1906boys
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#1,634103
2024#1,563111
2023#1,90982
2022#1,73796
2021#1,583109
2020#1,528109
2019#1,634100
2018#1,68793
2017#1,74688
2016#1,563105
2015#1,555104
2014#1,514106
2013#1,352125
2012#1,535104
2011#1,544102
2010#1,408118
2009#1,353127
2008#1,227142
2007#1,376120
2006#1,154146
2005#1,233128
2004#1,144137
2003#1,049148
2002#1,079139
2001#1,035142
2000#1,015144
1999#873173
1998#1,017133
1997#852166
1996#832172
1995#801179
1994#728207
1993#648252
1992#654251
1991#601287
1990#631260
1989#547314
1988#519309
1987#548277
1986#504302
1985#9,3076#485321
1984#10,4225#450346
1983#409399
1982#418400
1981#387436
1980#9,0956#370466
1979#8,0617#390422
1978#9,7505#392387
1977#7,5677#366453
1976#8,1566#350475
1975#344497
1974#355471
1973#8,4235#337504
1972#6,5587#311589
1971#308632
1970#5,4139#297680
1969#5,0579#277718
1968#266747
1967#4,9828#269731
1966#4,8668#261771
1965#4,8318#237956
1964#3,69213#2431,000
1963#3,17616#2261,101
1962#4,8658#2291,117
1961#3,79312#2181,284
1960#3,68812#2131,316
1959#3,10415#2111,335
1958#3,23214#1921,466
1957#4,2029#1831,636
1956#3,18614#1761,702
1955#2,97115#1681,691
1954#2,69517#1641,758
1953#2,69916#1571,776
1952#2,32720#1581,724
1951#2,93713#1511,722
1950#2,78114#1481,758
1949#2,62015#1491,752
1948#2,82813#1491,781
1947#2,63715#1421,944
1946#3,21710#1451,669
1945#2,45813#1311,618
1944#2,51113#1261,651
1943#1,94920#1251,764
1942#2,41614#1261,749
1941#2,09616#1251,563
1940#1,84519#1161,591
1939#2,41712#1161,549
1938#1,87318#1151,604
1937#2,44812#1161,576
1936#1,87317#1151,546
1935#1,84518#1141,626
1934#1,83418#1101,687
1933#1,77319#1081,644
1932#1,87718#1011,813
1931#1,54924#961,919
1930#1,60724#952,020
1929#1,39330#882,106
1928#1,33833#892,229
1927#1,23340#832,440
1926#1,44931#782,539
1925#1,84722#812,559
1924#1,40934#722,780
1923#1,30536#712,765
1922#1,28537#692,951
1921#1,40933#663,076
1920#1,37533#693,068
1919#1,29735#623,020
1918#1,25536#623,229
1917#1,21935#612,854
1916#1,58123#592,907
1915#1,33928#572,943
1914#2,00912#572,164
1913#1,40517#591,736
1912#1,17820#581,443
1911#1,9567#65657
1910#1,52110#64556
1909#1,36910#61501
1908#1,13513#60509
1907#1,3849#58491
1906#1,7276#52482
1905#87218#57432
1904#1,09211#61398
1903#1,3188#53400
1902#97213#58385
1901#1,4666#61332
1900#1,23110#60431
1899#1,03410#65290
1898#1,1719#70298
1897#1,1678#61310
1896#1,2138#65318
1895#1,5925#68295
1894#69291
1893#1,4375#77243
1892#95810#80240
1891#83191
1890#1,3385#76226
1889#1,2795#82213
1888#97189
1887#89168
1886#9936#98160
1885#101141
1884#118123
1883#111116
1882#109134
1881#14287
1880#121109
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Lester was already there! It came in at #121, and was given to 109 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2014–2025, when fewer than 120 boys a year got the name.

Where Lester is popular in 1924

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedAKMaine: #114 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 550 boysMEVermont: #83 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 352 boysVTNew Hampshire: #74 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 346 boysNHWashington: #78 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 337 boysWAIdaho: #57 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 215 boysIDMontana: #81 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 365 boysMTNorth Dakota: #65 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 226 boysNDMinnesota: #64 for boys · 88 births · 1 in 251 boysMNIllinois: #62 for boys · 195 births · 1 in 306 boysILWisconsin: #66 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 260 boysWIMichigan: #70 for boys · 101 births · 1 in 385 boysMINew York: #89 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 496 boysNYMassachusetts: #97 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 817 boysMARhode Island: #115 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 935 boysRIOregon: #74 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 334 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNVWyoming: #61 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 247 boysWYSouth Dakota: #51 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 175 boysSDIowa: #62 for boys · 87 births · 1 in 240 boysIAIndiana: #62 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 320 boysINOhio: #72 for boys · 141 births · 1 in 383 boysOHPennsylvania: #73 for boys · 210 births · 1 in 433 boysPANew Jersey: #80 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 497 boysNJConnecticut: #93 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 657 boysCTCalifornia: #96 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 522 boysCAUtah: #108 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 415 boysUTColorado: #74 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 315 boysCONebraska: #63 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 260 boysNEMissouri: #60 for boys · 105 births · 1 in 290 boysMOKentucky: #61 for boys · 86 births · 1 in 313 boysKYWest Virginia: #81 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 450 boysWVVirginia: #96 for boys · 48 births · 1 in 505 boysVAMaryland: #72 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 430 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedDEArizona: #131 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 531 boysAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNMKansas: #61 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 243 boysKSArkansas: #72 for boys · 60 births · 1 in 306 boysARTennessee: #72 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 406 boysTNNorth Carolina: #59 for boys · 109 births · 1 in 319 boysNCSouth Carolina: #107 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 574 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #97 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 656 boysDCOklahoma: #73 for boys · 76 births · 1 in 300 boysOKLouisiana: #63 for boys · 69 births · 1 in 281 boysLAMississippi: #60 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 318 boysMSAlabama: #105 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 590 boysALGeorgia: #74 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 381 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedHITexas: #108 for boys · 110 births · 1 in 510 boysTXFlorida: #78 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 389 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#51 · 1 in 175
  2. Idaho#57 · 1 in 215
  3. North Carolina#59 · 1 in 319
  4. Missouri#60 · 1 in 290
  5. Mississippi#60 · 1 in 318

Best ever in a state: #21 in Wyoming, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#51351 in 175
Idaho#57171 in 215
North Carolina#591091 in 319
Mississippi#60581 in 318
Missouri#601051 in 290
Kansas#61671 in 243
Kentucky#61861 in 313
Wyoming#6171 in 247
Illinois#621951 in 306
Indiana#62841 in 320
Iowa#62871 in 240
Louisiana#63691 in 281
Nebraska#63471 in 260
Minnesota#64881 in 251
North Dakota#65271 in 226
Wisconsin#66941 in 260
Michigan#701011 in 385
Arkansas#72601 in 306
Maryland#72311 in 430
Ohio#721411 in 383
Tennessee#72621 in 406
Oklahoma#73761 in 300
Pennsylvania#732101 in 433
Colorado#74281 in 315
Georgia#74731 in 381
New Hampshire#74101 in 346
Oregon#74181 in 334
Florida#78301 in 389
Washington#78291 in 337
New Jersey#80611 in 497
Montana#81111 in 365
West Virginia#81411 in 450
Vermont#8371 in 352
New York#891941 in 496
Connecticut#93191 in 657
California#96701 in 522
Virginia#96481 in 505
District of Columbia#9751 in 656
Massachusetts#97441 in 817
Alabama#105441 in 590
South Carolina#107351 in 574
Texas#1081101 in 510
Utah#108121 in 415
Maine#114121 in 550
Rhode Island#11561 in 935
Arizona#13171 in 531
Alaska
Delaware
Hawaii
Nevada
New Mexico

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 Lester
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 71 spots since 2024 (#1,563#1,634)
  • 106 spots since 2020 (#1,528#1,634)
  • 79 spots since 2015 (#1,555#1,634)
  • Biggest jump: 144 spots in 1999 (#1,017#873)
  • Biggest drop: 165 spots in 1998 (#852#1,017)
Rise & fade · boys
26 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1906 at #52 (482 births)
  • Births halved by 1994, 88 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 46 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 46 yrs · run 1886–1931
  • Top 1,000: 119 yrs · run 1880–1997
Share of babies · boys
1 in 276
  • Highest: 1 in 276 boys born in 1906 were named Lester (0.36%)
  • Latest: 1 in 16,583 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 20.3% of all boys named Lester (26,513) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,440#82 (1889)#107
1890s2,702#61 (1897)#71
1900s4,361#52 (1906)#58
1910s21,509#57 (1915)#60
1920s26,513#66 (1921)#77
1930s16,984#95 (1930)#109
1940s17,082#116 (1940)#133
1950s16,568#148 (1950)#171
1960s9,741#213 (1960)#244
1970s5,110#297 (1970)#345
1980s3,570#370 (1980)#464
1990s2,080#601 (1991)#764
2000s1,373#1,015 (2000)#1,167
2010s1,045#1,352 (2013)#1,554
2020s610#1,528 (2020)#1,659

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.

Lester in 1924

girls
#1,409
34 births · 1 in 36,732 girls
boys
#72
2,780 births · 1 in 407 boys

Top girls' names in 1924

  1. #1Mary73,534
  2. #2Dorothy39,996
  3. #3Helen31,194
  4. #4Betty30,600
  5. #5Margaret26,547
  6. #6Ruth23,601
  7. #7Virginia18,620
  8. #8Mildred15,853
  9. #9Doris15,786
  10. #10Frances15,183
  11. #1,409Lester34

Top boys' names in 1924

  1. #1Robert60,802
  2. #2John59,052
  3. #3William53,506
  4. #4James52,942
  5. #5Charles30,460
  6. #6George27,373
  7. #7Joseph25,421
  8. #8Richard21,244
  9. #9Edward21,126
  10. #10Donald17,929
  11. #72Lester2,780
More about 1924

girls

1,248,872 girls got a published name in 1924; 1 in 36,732 of them was named Lester, which outranked 76.1% of the 5,900 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #1,382Voncile35
  2. #1,382Waunita35
  3. #1,382Willadeen35
  4. #1,409Lester34
  5. #1,409Aggie34
  6. #1,409Aldona34
  7. #1,409Alexandria34
  8. #1,440Adelene33
  9. #1,440Alean33
  10. #1,440Alvira33

Tied with 30 names at #1,409; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1923
Risers
  1. 459Bettylou#1,327#868
  2. 374Doloris#1,350#976
  3. 332Gaynell#1,283#951
  4. 313Toby#1,305#992
  5. 262Letty#1,213#951
Fallers
  1. 388Izola#966#1,354
  2. 305Fumiko#953#1,258
  3. 303Clemmie#941#1,244
  4. 276Cruz#793#1,069
  5. 271Eris#457#728

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

boys

1,132,742 boys got a published name in 1924; 1 in 407 of them was named Lester, which outranked 98.6% of the 4,970 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 32.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #69Clyde3,006
  2. #70Herman2,954
  3. #71Philip2,921
  4. #72Lester2,780
  5. #73Alvin2,759
  6. #74Wayne2,730
  7. #75Gordon2,714
Biggest movers since 1923
Risers
  1. 436Faustino#1,420#984
  2. 338Conway#1,275#937
  3. 310Coolidge#1,041#731
  4. 291Chas#1,235#944
  5. 287Leopoldo#1,194#907
Fallers
  1. 466Cliff#992#1,458
  2. 403Harding#860#1,263
  3. 367Dempsey#750#1,117
  4. 363Price#924#1,287
  5. 350Terrence#873#1,223

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

See the top 100 for 1924