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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201963peak #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 1963

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNHWashington: #279 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 2,624 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedIDMontana: #193 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 1,156 boysMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #366 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 7,740 boysMNIllinois: #224 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 2,034 boysILWisconsin: #278 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 4,396 boysWIMichigan: #246 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 2,775 boysMINew York: #238 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 2,238 boysNYMassachusetts: #242 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 4,567 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedRIOregon: #238 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 2,032 boysORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedSDIowa: #260 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,118 boysIAIndiana: #219 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,832 boysINOhio: #235 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 2,518 boysOHPennsylvania: #189 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 1,881 boysPANew Jersey: #198 for boys · 31 births · 1 in 1,994 boysNJConnecticut: #272 for boys · 7 births · 1 in 3,725 boysCTCalifornia: #320 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 2,981 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedUTColorado: #271 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 2,325 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Lester, so not publishedNEMissouri: #198 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,486 boysMOKentucky: #216 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,653 boysKYWest Virginia: #180 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 1,308 boysWVVirginia: #188 for boys · 34 births · 1 in 1,269 boysVAMaryland: #192 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 1,488 boysMDDelaware: #156 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,011 boysDEArizona: #372 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 3,321 boysAZNew Mexico: #259 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,523 boysNMKansas: #212 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,470 boysKSArkansas: #182 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,081 boysARTennessee: #183 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 1,271 boysTNNorth Carolina: #155 for boys · 58 births · 1 in 869 boysNCSouth Carolina: #227 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,496 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #234 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 1,834 boysDCOklahoma: #237 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 1,609 boysOKLouisiana: #133 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 619 boysLAMississippi: #124 for boys · 44 births · 1 in 587 boysMSAlabama: #170 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 922 boysALGeorgia: #159 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 887 boysGAHawaii: #171 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 733 boysHITexas: #286 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 1,747 boysTXFlorida: #208 for boys · 41 births · 1 in 1,304 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Mississippi#124 · 1 in 587
  2. Louisiana#133 · 1 in 619
  3. North Carolina#155 · 1 in 869
  4. Delaware#156 · 1 in 1,011
  5. Georgia#159 · 1 in 887

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#124441 in 587
Louisiana#133641 in 619
North Carolina#155581 in 869
Delaware#15651 in 1,011
Georgia#159531 in 887
Alabama#170381 in 922
Hawaii#171101 in 733
West Virginia#180131 in 1,308
Arkansas#182181 in 1,081
Tennessee#183301 in 1,271
Virginia#188341 in 1,269
Pennsylvania#189581 in 1,881
Maryland#192221 in 1,488
Montana#19361 in 1,156
Missouri#198301 in 1,486
New Jersey#198311 in 1,994
Florida#208411 in 1,304
Kansas#212141 in 1,470
Kentucky#216201 in 1,653
Indiana#219281 in 1,832
Illinois#224531 in 2,034
South Carolina#227181 in 1,496
District of Columbia#23481 in 1,834
Ohio#235411 in 2,518
Oklahoma#237141 in 1,609
New York#238781 in 2,238
Oregon#23881 in 2,032
Massachusetts#242121 in 4,567
Michigan#246311 in 2,775
New Mexico#25981 in 1,523
Iowa#26091 in 3,118
Colorado#27191 in 2,325
Connecticut#27271 in 3,725
Wisconsin#278101 in 4,396
Washington#279111 in 2,624
Texas#286661 in 1,747
California#320631 in 2,981
Minnesota#36651 in 7,740
Arizona#37251 in 3,321
Alaska———
Idaho———
Maine———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
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 1963

girls
#3,176
16 births · 1 in 120,469 girls
boys
#226
1,101 births · 1 in 1,845 boys

Top girls' names in 1963

  1. #1Lisa56,047
  2. #2Mary41,546
  3. #3Susan33,991
  4. #4Karen32,492
  5. #5Linda27,727
  6. #6Donna25,405
  7. #7Patricia25,374
  8. #8Lori23,899
  9. #9Sandra21,621
  10. #10Cynthia21,589
  11. #3,176Lester16

Top boys' names in 1963

  1. #1Michael83,771
  2. #2John78,636
  3. #3David78,444
  4. #4James71,294
  5. #5Robert70,007
  6. #6Mark49,342
  7. #7William44,453
  8. #8Richard40,772
  9. #9Thomas35,490
  10. #10Jeffrey31,701
  11. #226Lester1,101
More about 1963

girls

1,927,507 girls got a published name in 1963; 1 in 120,469 of them was named Lester, which outranked 58.5% of the 7,661 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #3,066Vinnie17
  2. #3,066Wilhemina17
  3. #3,066Zondra17
  4. #3,176Lester16
  5. #3,176Allisa16
  6. #3,176America16
  7. #3,176Anamaria16
  8. #3,336Adelle15
  9. #3,336Alease15
  10. #3,336Alejandrina15

Tied with 159 names at #3,176; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1962
Risers
  1. ↑ 631Zena#1,323 → #692
  2. ↑ 623Zina#992 → #369
  3. ↑ 540Trisha#1,020 → #480
  4. ↑ 457Shirl#1,304 → #847
  5. ↑ 396Glynis#992 → #596
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,195Marnita#727 → #1,922
  2. ↓ 255Velvet#623 → #878
  3. ↓ 235Delphine#904 → #1,139
  4. ↓ 224Rosita#934 → #1,158
  5. ↓ 197Lindy#885 → #1,082

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

boys

2,031,078 boys got a published name in 1963; 1 in 1,845 of them was named Lester, which outranked 95.1% of the 4,621 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 28.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Lester
  1. #223Arnold1,144
  2. #224Ross1,127
  3. #225Jimmie1,121
  4. #226Lester1,101
  5. #227Neal1,094
  6. #228Wendell1,075
  7. #229Gerard1,072
Biggest movers since 1962
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,551Tal#2,364 → #813
  2. ↑ 1,141Jaimie#1,962 → #821
  3. ↑ 540Stoney#1,038 → #498
  4. ↑ 364Pamela#1,311 → #947
  5. ↑ 331Giovanni#1,242 → #911
Fallers
  1. ↓ 324Olin#871 → #1,195
  2. ↓ 295Enoch#984 → #1,279
  3. ↓ 285Rand#953 → #1,238
  4. ↓ 283Vernell#996 → #1,279
  5. ↓ 269Bentley#926 → #1,195

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

See the top 100 for 1963 →