Lester
Boy nameLester has been given to 132,047 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1918.
Meaning & origin /ˈlɛstɚ/
As an English surname, from the placename Leicester. * Also as an English surname of Norman origin, from Lestre in Normandy, from Old French Lestra, from Medieval Latin Laxtra, perhaps from extera (“exterior (part of a property)”). * As an English and Scottish surname, variant of Lister. * Also as an English surname, variant of Laster. * As a Scottish and Irish surname, shortened from McLester.
Origin: surnames
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
132,047
Peak year
1918 (3,265 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▼ -1%
Gender split
1% girls / 99% boys
Rank through the decades
Lester's rank among U.S. boy names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Boys rank |
|---|---|
| 1900 | #60 |
| 1925 | #81 |
| 1950 | #148 |
| 1975 | #344 |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Spellings & variants
Names one letter away from Lester — alternate spellings parents actually use.
Famous people named Lester
Lester B. Pearson
14th Prime Minister of Canada, from 1963 to 1968 (1897–1972)
Les Paul
American jazz guitarist, country guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009)
Lester Young
American jazz saxophonist (1909–1959)
Lester del Rey
American science fiction author (1915–1993)
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Lester.
FAQ
How popular is the name Lester?
Lester has been given to 132,047 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Lester peak?
Lester peaked in 1918, when 3,265 babies were given the name.
Is Lester a girl or boy name?
Lester is primarily a boy name (99% of babies named Lester are boys).
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