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Chester as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Chester

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The baby name Chester is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈtʃɛstər/ (CHESS-ter).

Chester is English in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /ˈtʃɛstər/ (CHESS-ter)

What is the meaning of the name Chester ?

The baby name Chester is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈtʃɛstər/ (CHESS-ter).

Chester is English in Origin.

Chester is an English given name and surname from Old English ceaster < Latin castra “fort, military camp,” meaning “fortress” or “walled town.” First used as a habitational surname for people from Roman-founded towns ending in -chester/-caster/-cester (e.g., Chester, Manchester, Gloucester), it later transitioned into a forename. In Britain and the United States, Chester earned steady use by the 18th century and rose sharply in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, buoyed by U.S. President Chester A. Arthur; it ranked in the American Top 100 for several decades before fading, with a modest vintage revival today. Diminutives and variants include Chet, Chess, Ches, and Chessie; the spelling Chestor occurs rarely. Notable bearers range from guitarist Chester “Chet” Atkins to singer Chester Bennington and cartoonist Chester Gould, reinforcing its warm, sturdy, nostalgic feel.

Chester has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Chester

Chester A. Arthur Politician · Born 1829 · United States Chester A. Arthur was the 21st President of the United States, serving from 1881 to 1885. He is most famous for succeeding James A. Garfield after his assassination and for his efforts in civil service reform with the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. Arthur's presidency is noted for his advocacy of modernization and reform in government. Chester Bennington Actor|musician · Born 1976 · United States Chester Bennington was a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Linkin Park. He gained fame with songs like 'In the End' and 'Numb', which became anthems for a generation. Chester's powerful voice and emotional performances left a lasting impact on the music world. Chester Thompson Musician · Born 1948 · United States Chester Thompson is an American drummer best known for playing with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Genesis, and Phil Collins. Over the years, he has also worked with Weather Report and Santana, performing on well-known songs like “In the Air Tonight,” “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now),” and Genesis’s “Mama.” Since 2011, he has led the Chester Thompson Trio.

Chester – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2024 #1 — 820
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
NA 0 #32 2 2,537
TM Boys 0 #36 1 614
MO 0 #50 3 2,706
HN Boys 0 #52 1 749
CN 0 #84 3 3,857
JM 0 #89 5 3,714
TW 0 #91 10 4,523
PH 0 #104 7 5,607
QA 0 #104 3 7,011
GE Boys 0 #110 1 2,055
KW 0 #120 2 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
BW Boys 0 #126 24 4,685
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
Switzerland Boys 2024 #136 2 1,769
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
PR Boys 0 #177 2 2,508
Sweden Boys 2022 #181 2 1,509
AE 0 #183 5 10,220
MO Boys 0 #188 36 5,842
NA Boys 0 #189 47 6,830
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
TW Boys 0 #205 37 7,111
HU Girls 0 #225 1 3,308
JM Boys 0 #234 39 6,876
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
SG 0 #243 27 11,010
EC Boys 0 #244 3 3,322
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
PH Boys 0 #258 128 11,440
HR Boys 0 #259 1 3,997
MO Girls 0 #263 1 7,056
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
SA 0 #284 12 10,560
Canada Boys 2024 #287 20 2,588
KZ Boys 0 #293 4 6,578
CN Boys 0 #296 24 9,639
JP Boys 0 #302 2 7,909
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
MY 0 #312 19 12,352
HK Boys 0 #317 240 12,905
HK 0 #319 30 8,483
PE 0 #324 6 6,350
DK Boys 0 #330 3 7,401
GH Boys 0 #333 13 8,138
GT 0 #334 5 5,948
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
PL Boys 0 #336 5 6,459
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
MU Boys 0 #365 5 8,477
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
France Boys 2018 #386 4 2,908
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
BO 0 #404 5 6,868
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
UY Boys 0 #407 7 5,922
ZA 0 #419 29 14,421
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
CL 0 #427 8 6,867
PH Girls 0 #427 3 13,098
MX 0 #444 2 8,339
AR Boys 0 #458 10 7,628
GT Boys 0 #460 15 7,625
CR Boys 0 #461 27 10,188
PA Boys 0 #463 19 9,305
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
SG Boys 0 #480 224 17,960
RU Boys 0 #482 24 12,621
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
PS Boys 0 #532 17 10,655
UY Girls 0 #535 2 6,731
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
ZA Boys 0 #556 877 25,619
LY 0 #557 3 12,703
CM Girls 0 #560 1 11,671
IR Boys 0 #560 6 10,162
KW Girls 0 #560 2 19,177
BO Boys 0 #568 25 9,244
CM Boys 0 #569 7 12,054
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
BH 0 #579 9 17,937
BD Boys 0 #598 8 10,045
CL Boys 0 #611 55 13,390
IL Boys 0 #623 3 10,983
AR Girls 0 #627 4 8,289
SG Girls 0 #628 5 18,916
HK Girls 0 #645 6 16,104
BO Girls 0 #651 1 9,488
QA Boys 0 #672 36 18,093
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
MX Boys 0 #707 284 16,355
BR Boys 0 #742 10 12,213
KW Boys 0 #746 24 18,755
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
United States Boys 2024 #791 102 7,044
PE Boys 0 #801 78 14,506
NG Girls 0 #825 2 15,093
CO Boys 0 #832 89 15,656
MY Boys 0 #837 280 25,439
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
OM Boys 0 #863 19 17,948
NL Boys 0 #872 80 5,873
Spain Boys 0 #892 39 5,610
NG Boys 0 #911 41 16,906
EG Boys 0 #920 6 15,035
Germany Boys 0 #925 28 5,697
MY Girls 0 #977 18 24,821
IN Boys 0 #987 15 16,750
SA Girls 0 #1,007 8 25,931
PE Girls 0 #1,008 3 14,861
AE Boys 0 #1,040 53 22,615
ZA Girls 0 #1,116 26 25,928
MA 0 #1,118 11 20,986
CO Girls 0 #1,148 5 16,140
MX Girls 0 #1,174 10 17,781
DZ 0 #1,226 9 20,130
TR 0 #1,248 7 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,401 71 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,473 142 28,008

Chester is popular in 74 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
United States
Switzerland
Sweden
Scotland, United Kingdom

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Chester

Chester is predominantly a boy's name.
Chester is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈtʃɛstər/ (CHESS-ter).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Chet, Ches and Chess.
Across languages, Chester has these equivalents: Castro (Spanish/Portuguese, 'castle'), Castillo (Spanish, 'castle'), Castra (Latin root).
Yes, very popular — Chester ranked #1 in Ireland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 7 countries.
Chester ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2024).
Chester's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #312 in 2014 to #287 in 2024 in Canada.
Yes — 3 notable people named Chester are in our database, including Chester A. Arthur (Politician), Chester Bennington (Actor|musician), Chester Thompson (Musician).