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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201960peak #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 1960

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedAKMaine: #163 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,367 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNHWashington: #194 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,346 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #186 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,230 boysNDMinnesota: #239 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 3,538 boysMNIllinois: #205 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 1,655 boysILWisconsin: #235 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 3,005 boysWIMichigan: #229 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 2,303 boysMINew York: #268 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 2,804 boysNYMassachusetts: #225 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 4,085 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedRIOregon: #198 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,290 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #137 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 784 boysSDIowa: #244 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,842 boysIAIndiana: #188 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 1,428 boysINOhio: #216 for boys · 52 births · 1 in 2,158 boysOHPennsylvania: #168 for boys · 75 births · 1 in 1,598 boysPANew Jersey: #204 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 1,942 boysNJConnecticut: #283 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 4,458 boysCTCalifornia: #301 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 2,774 boysCAUtah: #271 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,024 boysUTColorado: #282 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,667 boysCONebraska: #190 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,482 boysNEMissouri: #174 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 1,164 boysMOKentucky: #173 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,182 boysKYWest Virginia: #185 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,459 boysWVVirginia: #206 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,407 boysVAMaryland: #195 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,561 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedDEArizona: #245 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,415 boysAZNew Mexico: #255 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 1,524 boysNMKansas: #195 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,274 boysKSArkansas: #151 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 839 boysARTennessee: #137 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 858 boysTNNorth Carolina: #158 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 899 boysNCSouth Carolina: #199 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 1,233 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #208 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 1,489 boysDCOklahoma: #197 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 1,250 boysOKLouisiana: #152 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 715 boysLAMississippi: #140 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 640 boysMSAlabama: #170 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 879 boysALGeorgia: #176 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 946 boysGAHawaii: #243 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,454 boysHITexas: #234 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 1,278 boysTXFlorida: #165 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 945 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#137 · 1 in 784
  2. Tennessee#137 · 1 in 858
  3. Mississippi#140 · 1 in 640
  4. Arkansas#151 · 1 in 839
  5. Louisiana#152 · 1 in 715

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#137101 in 784
Tennessee#137461 in 858
Mississippi#140421 in 640
Arkansas#151231 in 839
Louisiana#152591 in 715
North Carolina#158581 in 899
Maine#16381 in 1,367
Florida#165581 in 945
Pennsylvania#168751 in 1,598
Alabama#170431 in 879
Kentucky#173301 in 1,182
Missouri#174421 in 1,164
Georgia#176511 in 946
West Virginia#185131 in 1,459
North Dakota#18661 in 1,230
Indiana#188381 in 1,428
Nebraska#190111 in 1,482
Washington#194231 in 1,346
Kansas#195181 in 1,274
Maryland#195211 in 1,561
Oklahoma#197191 in 1,250
Oregon#198141 in 1,290
South Carolina#199231 in 1,233
New Jersey#204321 in 1,942
Illinois#205701 in 1,655
Virginia#206301 in 1,407
District of Columbia#208101 in 1,489
Ohio#216521 in 2,158
Massachusetts#225141 in 4,085
Michigan#229411 in 2,303
Texas#234961 in 1,278
Wisconsin#235161 in 3,005
Minnesota#239121 in 3,538
Hawaii#24351 in 1,454
Iowa#244111 in 2,842
Arizona#245121 in 1,415
New Mexico#25591 in 1,524
New York#268641 in 2,804
Utah#27161 in 2,024
Colorado#28281 in 2,667
Connecticut#28361 in 4,458
California#301671 in 2,774
Alaska
Delaware
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
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 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 1960

girls
#3,688
12 births · 1 in 168,495 girls
boys
#213
1,316 births · 1 in 1,620 boys

Top girls' names in 1960

  1. #1Mary51,472
  2. #2Susan39,208
  3. #3Linda37,316
  4. #4Karen36,378
  5. #5Donna34,138
  6. #6Lisa33,693
  7. #7Patricia32,113
  8. #8Debra26,732
  9. #9Cynthia26,706
  10. #10Deborah25,266
  11. #3,688Lester12

Top boys' names in 1960

  1. #1David85,929
  2. #2Michael84,153
  3. #3James76,815
  4. #4John76,096
  5. #5Robert72,357
  6. #6Mark58,727
  7. #7William49,361
  8. #8Richard43,553
  9. #9Thomas39,278
  10. #10Steven33,878
  11. #213Lester1,316
More about 1960

girls

2,021,941 girls got a published name in 1960; 1 in 168,495 of them was named Lester, which outranked 49.7% of the 7,332 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #3,512Wendelyn13
  2. #3,512Yevette13
  3. #3,512Zoila13
  4. #3,688Lester12
  5. #3,688Adonica12
  6. #3,688Adonna12
  7. #3,688Aleda12
  8. #3,920Adrina11
  9. #3,920Albina11
  10. #3,920Alejandrina11

Tied with 231 names at #3,688; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. 1,798Lisha#2,395#597
  2. 1,223Elana#2,108#885
  3. 667Leisha#1,537#870
  4. 513Misty#1,214#701
  5. 462Loriann#1,396#934
Fallers
  1. 421Taryn#771#1,192
  2. 335Cheryll#993#1,328
  3. 305Marilynn#724#1,029
  4. 304Drema#997#1,301
  5. 258Merrie#978#1,236

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

boys

2,132,320 boys got a published name in 1960; 1 in 1,620 of them was named Lester, which outranked 95.4% of the 4,598 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #210Marcus1,326
  2. #210Mario1,326
  3. #212Maurice1,321
  4. #213Lester1,316
  5. #214Rex1,314
  6. #215Ricardo1,311
  7. #216Jimmie1,305
Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. 3,061Stephon#3,988#927
  2. 1,039Kennedy#1,759#720
  3. 489Darryle#1,416#927
  4. 379Garret#1,360#981
  5. 373Darryll#1,324#951
Fallers
  1. 333Grayling#987#1,320
  2. 327Lucious#946#1,273
  3. 274Brion#919#1,193
  4. 261Gail#747#1,008
  5. 254Delton#939#1,193

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

See the top 100 for 1960