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
- Peak · boys
- 1906 · 482 births
- Debut · boys
- 109 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 46 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 130,688since 1880
Lester over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #1,634 | 103 | |
| 2024 | — | #1,563 | 111 | |
| 2023 | — | #1,909 | 82 | |
| 2022 | — | #1,737 | 96 | |
| 2021 | — | #1,583 | 109 | |
| 2020 | — | #1,528 | 109 | |
| 2019 | — | #1,634 | 100 | |
| 2018 | — | #1,687 | 93 | |
| 2017 | — | #1,746 | 88 | |
| 2016 | — | #1,563 | 105 | |
| 2015 | — | #1,555 | 104 | |
| 2014 | — | #1,514 | 106 | |
| 2013 | — | #1,352 | 125 | |
| 2012 | — | #1,535 | 104 | |
| 2011 | — | #1,544 | 102 | |
| 2010 | — | #1,408 | 118 | |
| 2009 | — | #1,353 | 127 | |
| 2008 | — | #1,227 | 142 | |
| 2007 | — | #1,376 | 120 | |
| 2006 | — | #1,154 | 146 | |
| 2005 | — | #1,233 | 128 | |
| 2004 | — | #1,144 | 137 | |
| 2003 | — | #1,049 | 148 | |
| 2002 | — | #1,079 | 139 | |
| 2001 | — | #1,035 | 142 | |
| 2000 | — | #1,015 | 144 | |
| 1999 | — | #873 | 173 | |
| 1998 | — | #1,017 | 133 | |
| 1997 | — | #852 | 166 | |
| 1996 | — | #832 | 172 | |
| 1995 | — | #801 | 179 | |
| 1994 | — | #728 | 207 | |
| 1993 | — | #648 | 252 | |
| 1992 | — | #654 | 251 | |
| 1991 | — | #601 | 287 | |
| 1990 | — | #631 | 260 | |
| 1989 | — | #547 | 314 | |
| 1988 | — | #519 | 309 | |
| 1987 | — | #548 | 277 | |
| 1986 | — | #504 | 302 | |
| 1985 | #9,307 | 6 | #485 | 321 |
| 1984 | #10,422 | 5 | #450 | 346 |
| 1983 | — | #409 | 399 | |
| 1982 | — | #418 | 400 | |
| 1981 | — | #387 | 436 | |
| 1980 | #9,095 | 6 | #370 | 466 |
| 1979 | #8,061 | 7 | #390 | 422 |
| 1978 | #9,750 | 5 | #392 | 387 |
| 1977 | #7,567 | 7 | #366 | 453 |
| 1976 | #8,156 | 6 | #350 | 475 |
| 1975 | — | #344 | 497 | |
| 1974 | — | #355 | 471 | |
| 1973 | #8,423 | 5 | #337 | 504 |
| 1972 | #6,558 | 7 | #311 | 589 |
| 1971 | — | #308 | 632 | |
| 1970 | #5,413 | 9 | #297 | 680 |
| 1969 | #5,057 | 9 | #277 | 718 |
| 1968 | — | #266 | 747 | |
| 1967 | #4,982 | 8 | #269 | 731 |
| 1966 | #4,866 | 8 | #261 | 771 |
| 1965 | #4,831 | 8 | #237 | 956 |
| 1964 | #3,692 | 13 | #243 | 1,000 |
| 1963 | #3,176 | 16 | #226 | 1,101 |
| 1962 | #4,865 | 8 | #229 | 1,117 |
| 1961 | #3,793 | 12 | #218 | 1,284 |
| 1960 | #3,688 | 12 | #213 | 1,316 |
| 1959 | #3,104 | 15 | #211 | 1,335 |
| 1958 | #3,232 | 14 | #192 | 1,466 |
| 1957 | #4,202 | 9 | #183 | 1,636 |
| 1956 | #3,186 | 14 | #176 | 1,702 |
| 1955 | #2,971 | 15 | #168 | 1,691 |
| 1954 | #2,695 | 17 | #164 | 1,758 |
| 1953 | #2,699 | 16 | #157 | 1,776 |
| 1952 | #2,327 | 20 | #158 | 1,724 |
| 1951 | #2,937 | 13 | #151 | 1,722 |
| 1950 | #2,781 | 14 | #148 | 1,758 |
| 1949 | #2,620 | 15 | #149 | 1,752 |
| 1948 | #2,828 | 13 | #149 | 1,781 |
| 1947 | #2,637 | 15 | #142 | 1,944 |
| 1946 | #3,217 | 10 | #145 | 1,669 |
| 1945 | #2,458 | 13 | #131 | 1,618 |
| 1944 | #2,511 | 13 | #126 | 1,651 |
| 1943 | #1,949 | 20 | #125 | 1,764 |
| 1942 | #2,416 | 14 | #126 | 1,749 |
| 1941 | #2,096 | 16 | #125 | 1,563 |
| 1940 | #1,845 | 19 | #116 | 1,591 |
| 1939 | #2,417 | 12 | #116 | 1,549 |
| 1938 | #1,873 | 18 | #115 | 1,604 |
| 1937 | #2,448 | 12 | #116 | 1,576 |
| 1936 | #1,873 | 17 | #115 | 1,546 |
| 1935 | #1,845 | 18 | #114 | 1,626 |
| 1934 | #1,834 | 18 | #110 | 1,687 |
| 1933 | #1,773 | 19 | #108 | 1,644 |
| 1932 | #1,877 | 18 | #101 | 1,813 |
| 1931 | #1,549 | 24 | #96 | 1,919 |
| 1930 | #1,607 | 24 | #95 | 2,020 |
| 1929 | #1,393 | 30 | #88 | 2,106 |
| 1928 | #1,338 | 33 | #89 | 2,229 |
| 1927 | #1,233 | 40 | #83 | 2,440 |
| 1926 | #1,449 | 31 | #78 | 2,539 |
| 1925 | #1,847 | 22 | #81 | 2,559 |
| 1924 | #1,409 | 34 | #72 | 2,780 |
| 1923 | #1,305 | 36 | #71 | 2,765 |
| 1922 | #1,285 | 37 | #69 | 2,951 |
| 1921 | #1,409 | 33 | #66 | 3,076 |
| 1920 | #1,375 | 33 | #69 | 3,068 |
| 1919 | #1,297 | 35 | #62 | 3,020 |
| 1918 | #1,255 | 36 | #62 | 3,229 |
| 1917 | #1,219 | 35 | #61 | 2,854 |
| 1916 | #1,581 | 23 | #59 | 2,907 |
| 1915 | #1,339 | 28 | #57 | 2,943 |
| 1914 | #2,009 | 12 | #57 | 2,164 |
| 1913 | #1,405 | 17 | #59 | 1,736 |
| 1912 | #1,178 | 20 | #58 | 1,443 |
| 1911 | #1,956 | 7 | #65 | 657 |
| 1910 | #1,521 | 10 | #64 | 556 |
| 1909 | #1,369 | 10 | #61 | 501 |
| 1908 | #1,135 | 13 | #60 | 509 |
| 1907 | #1,384 | 9 | #58 | 491 |
| 1906 | #1,727 | 6 | #52 | 482 |
| 1905 | #872 | 18 | #57 | 432 |
| 1904 | #1,092 | 11 | #61 | 398 |
| 1903 | #1,318 | 8 | #53 | 400 |
| 1902 | #972 | 13 | #58 | 385 |
| 1901 | #1,466 | 6 | #61 | 332 |
| 1900 | #1,231 | 10 | #60 | 431 |
| 1899 | #1,034 | 10 | #65 | 290 |
| 1898 | #1,171 | 9 | #70 | 298 |
| 1897 | #1,167 | 8 | #61 | 310 |
| 1896 | #1,213 | 8 | #65 | 318 |
| 1895 | #1,592 | 5 | #68 | 295 |
| 1894 | — | #69 | 291 | |
| 1893 | #1,437 | 5 | #77 | 243 |
| 1892 | #958 | 10 | #80 | 240 |
| 1891 | — | #83 | 191 | |
| 1890 | #1,338 | 5 | #76 | 226 |
| 1889 | #1,279 | 5 | #82 | 213 |
| 1888 | — | #97 | 189 | |
| 1887 | — | #89 | 168 | |
| 1886 | #993 | 6 | #98 | 160 |
| 1885 | — | #101 | 141 | |
| 1884 | — | #118 | 123 | |
| 1883 | — | #111 | 116 | |
| 1882 | — | #109 | 134 | |
| 1881 | — | #142 | 87 | |
| 1880 | — | #121 | 109 | |
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 1931
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Delaware#44 · 1 in 183
- Pennsylvania#66 · 1 in 463
- South Dakota#67 · 1 in 265
- Maine#71 · 1 in 332
- Indiana#71 · 1 in 367
Best ever in a state: #21 in Wyoming, 1913.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | #44 | 8 | 1 in 183 |
| Pennsylvania | #66 | 165 | 1 in 463 |
| South Dakota | #67 | 21 | 1 in 265 |
| Indiana | #71 | 65 | 1 in 367 |
| Maine | #71 | 19 | 1 in 332 |
| Ohio | #71 | 111 | 1 in 432 |
| Missouri | #73 | 81 | 1 in 335 |
| West Virginia | #74 | 42 | 1 in 386 |
| North Dakota | #75 | 21 | 1 in 278 |
| Illinois | #79 | 119 | 1 in 453 |
| Louisiana | #79 | 58 | 1 in 318 |
| New Jersey | #82 | 47 | 1 in 577 |
| North Carolina | #82 | 72 | 1 in 439 |
| Wisconsin | #82 | 60 | 1 in 392 |
| Idaho | #83 | 11 | 1 in 313 |
| Iowa | #84 | 46 | 1 in 412 |
| Florida | #86 | 24 | 1 in 468 |
| Tennessee | #86 | 55 | 1 in 442 |
| Vermont | #86 | 6 | 1 in 420 |
| Mississippi | #87 | 41 | 1 in 442 |
| Kentucky | #88 | 55 | 1 in 450 |
| Oklahoma | #91 | 52 | 1 in 416 |
| Massachusetts | #92 | 41 | 1 in 726 |
| Minnesota | #93 | 46 | 1 in 433 |
| Oregon | #97 | 13 | 1 in 416 |
| Nebraska | #98 | 28 | 1 in 406 |
| New Hampshire | #98 | 5 | 1 in 600 |
| Arkansas | #99 | 34 | 1 in 482 |
| Montana | #100 | 9 | 1 in 423 |
| Maryland | #101 | 17 | 1 in 684 |
| Washington | #101 | 18 | 1 in 514 |
| Georgia | #103 | 52 | 1 in 525 |
| Kansas | #103 | 31 | 1 in 463 |
| District of Columbia | #107 | 5 | 1 in 701 |
| New York | #108 | 115 | 1 in 784 |
| South Carolina | #108 | 27 | 1 in 608 |
| Michigan | #115 | 54 | 1 in 721 |
| Connecticut | #121 | 9 | 1 in 1,188 |
| Alabama | #130 | 35 | 1 in 737 |
| Colorado | #131 | 13 | 1 in 653 |
| Texas | #135 | 87 | 1 in 635 |
| Virginia | #135 | 28 | 1 in 753 |
| California | #140 | 48 | 1 in 758 |
| Utah | #173 | 6 | 1 in 788 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| 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
- 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)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1906 at #52 (482 births)
- Births halved by 1994, 88 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 46 yrs · run 1886–1931
- Top 1,000: 119 yrs · run 1880–1997
- Highest: 1 in 276 boys born in 1906 were named Lester (0.36%)
- Latest: 1 in 16,583 boys born in 2025 (0.01%)
- 20.3% of all boys named Lester (26,513) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,440 | #82 (1889) | #107 |
| 1890s | 2,702 | #61 (1897) | #71 |
| 1900s | 4,361 | #52 (1906) | #58 |
| 1910s | 21,509 | #57 (1915) | #60 |
| 1920s | 26,513 | #66 (1921) | #77 |
| 1930s | 16,984 | #95 (1930) | #109 |
| 1940s | 17,082 | #116 (1940) | #133 |
| 1950s | 16,568 | #148 (1950) | #171 |
| 1960s | 9,741 | #213 (1960) | #244 |
| 1970s | 5,110 | #297 (1970) | #345 |
| 1980s | 3,570 | #370 (1980) | #464 |
| 1990s | 2,080 | #601 (1991) | #764 |
| 2000s | 1,373 | #1,015 (2000) | #1,167 |
| 2010s | 1,045 | #1,352 (2013) | #1,554 |
| 2020s | 610 | #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 1931
Top girls' names in 1931
Top boys' names in 1931
More about 1931
girls
1,064,728 girls got a published name in 1931; 1 in 44,364 of them was named Lester, which outranked 68.9% of the 4,979 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #1,502Willard25
- #1,502Zetta25
- #1,502Zulema25
- #1,549Lester24
- #1,549Adaline24
- #1,549Almira24
- #1,549Annalee24
- #1,594Alvena23
- #1,594Alverna23
- #1,594Amber23
Tied with 44 names at #1,549; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,039,665 boys got a published name in 1931; 1 in 542 of them was named Lester, which outranked 97.8% of the 4,321 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.