Lester

Updated: October 10, 2023 by Olivia Mittak

Lester was one of the most popular name for boys at the turn of the twentieth century. It is interesting that a surname based on a place can become so well-liked as a first name. Unfortunately, Lester is one of the old-fashioned names that may not make a comeback as it has not been a top 1,000 name since 1999.

Meaning and Origin of the Name Lester:

Lester began as a surname for families from Leicester in England. It was the phonetic version of the city name. Leicester, and ultimately Lester, come from the name of the river that runs through the area, Ligore, and the Latin word “castra”.

Symbolism of the name Lester:

Most agree that Lester still means “from Leicester,” just like the surname. Some believe, however, that Lester could mean “river camp”. This is because the Latin word “castra” that forms the city name means “camp”.

Nicknames for the Name Lester:

Lester might stump you when it comes to nicknames. If that's the case, you're in just the right place. We've got a great list here for you to look through:

Les
Lesty
Lestie
Lesti
Lest
Leso
Lest-o
Lessy
Lee
Lez

Style of the Name Lester:

Traditional

Gender of the Name Lester:

Lester is an old-fashioned baby name for boys.

Pronunciation of the Name Lester:

LEHS-ter

Number of Syllables in the Name Lester:

Two

Emotion Evoked From the Name Lester:

Lester is a vintage-sounding baby name. This gives it a sense of maturity and class.

Alternative Spellings for the Name Lester:

Leister
Lesster

Popularity of the Name Lester:

From 1900 to 1931, Lester was a top 100 baby name in America. It ranked at number 52 in 1906, which was the highest ever. The name remained a top 200 option until 1958 and a top 300 until 1970. Lester did drop off of the top 1,000 after 1999, and has not returned since.