Chester is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #1925 in 2016 with 76 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 124 births ranking #1006. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 38.7%. In 2016, approximately 1 in every 24,963 boys born was named Chester. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Chester is an old English place-name style name linked with a fort or camp. It has a gentle vintage feel today, even though its deeper history is tied to Roman military settlement.
The name comes from the city of Chester and the broader family of English place names ending in -chester or -caster. In modern use, it feels more old-fashioned and charming than stern.