boy's name
Chester
CHESS-tər
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 129,060
England and Wales
#128
2025 births
Chester is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "fortress" or "walled camp." It comes from the Latin castrum, a Roman military camp, and names the English city built on one.
- Chester is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1920, when 3,726 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,358 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Chester over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Chester is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,699 |
| 1890s | 3,039 |
| 1900s | 3,830 |
| 1910s | 23,673 |
| 1920s | 28,675 |
| 1930s | 14,527 |
| 1940s | 15,404 |
| 1950s | 12,858 |
| 1960s | 6,807 |
| 1970s | 4,150 |
| 1980s | 2,801 |
| 1990s | 1,549 |
| 2000s | 884 |
| 2010s | 840 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 566 |
What Chester means
Chester means a fortified camp. The Latin castrum described a Roman army encampment specifically, so the name carries the sense of a garrison rather than a castle.
Where Chester comes from
Chester descends from the Latin castrum, a fort or military camp, which Old English borrowed as ceaster. The element survives across England wherever the Romans built: Chester itself, plus Manchester, Winchester, Lancaster, Gloucester and Doncaster — the -chester, -caster and -cester endings are all the same word worn down differently. Families from the city took Chester as a surname, and it moved into American first-name use in the nineteenth century, where Chester A. Arthur became president in 1881.
Chester in use
Our data marks Chester as reviving, peaking in 1920, and it sits at 128 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. Its revival is British rather than American, part of the same vintage wave carrying Stanley, Albert and Wilfred.
How popular is Chester?
In 2025, Chester was given to 388 babies in England and Wales, ranking #128 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Chester is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Chester
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Chester also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Chester over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Chester
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Chester in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Chester
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Chester — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Chester
What does the name Chester mean?
Chester means "fortress" or "walled camp," from the Latin castrum, a Roman military camp.
Why do so many English towns end in -chester?
The Latin castrum became the Old English ceaster, marking a Roman fort. It survives as -chester, -caster and -cester.
Is Chester a first name or a surname?
Both. It began as a place name, became a surname, and moved into first-name use in the nineteenth century.
How popular is the name Chester?
In 2025, Chester was given to 388 babies in England and Wales, ranking #128 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Chester a girl's or a boy's name?
Chester is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Chester?
Chester has 2 syllables.
When was Chester most popular?
Chester peaked in 1920, when 3,726 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Chester?
Chester is usually shortened to Chet and Chess.
Is Chester a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Chester currently ranks #128 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.