← All names

Chester

Boy name · 111 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Chester: 111 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 24 births in 2020.

Chester is an English name derived from the Latin *castra*, meaning "camp" or "fortified settlement," originally referring to a Roman military camp. It evolved through Old English *ceaster* and became a place name for towns built on Roman ruins, most famously the city of Chester in northwest England. The name was then adopted as a surname before becoming a given name. Notable bearers include Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, and Chester Bennington, the lead vocalist of the rock band Linkin Park. The name also shares its root with the English place names Manchester, Lancaster, and Winchester, all of which contain the *ceaster* element. A softer variant is the French-influenced Chet, which gained some popularity as a standalone name in the mid-20th century.