Boy · #12,182 in 2026

Jester

Name: Popularity of the name Jester in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Jester, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

A jester, also known as joker, court jester, or fool, was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch kept to entertain guests at the royal court. Jesters were also travelling performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town markets, and the discipline continues into the modern day, where jesters perform at historical-themed events.

Current Rank

#12,182

Peak Rank

#3,489 (1920)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1916

First Year

2016

Last Year

1920

Peak Year

#3489

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Jester

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The modern use of the English word jester did not come into use until the mid-16th century, during Tudor times . This modern term derives from the older form gestour , or jestour , originally from French meaning 'storyteller' or ' minstrel '. Other earlier terms included fol , disour , buffoon , and bourder . These terms described entertainers who differed in their skills and performances but who all shared many similarities in their role as comedic performers for their audiences.

Origin & history

1404–1425, France. Two men smile at a jester's act, appearing to use a dog for a bagpipe. Jester-like figures have been common throughout the world. They were known in China, Persia, India and the Aztec empire.

The Story of Jester

American parents first put Jester on the record books as a baby boy name in 1916, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 7 Jesters were born — ranking #3,489 that year. About 27% of every Jester on record arrived during the 1920s, its defining decade. Jester last appeared in the published SSA data in 2016, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 66 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Jester

Phonetically similar names — useful when Jester is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Juster
Jouster
Jaster
Chester
Gesture
Jest
Gest
Jesters
Jetter
Shuster
Geste
Jessed

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jester

What does the name Jester mean?

How popular is Jester in 2026?

In 2026, Jester ranks #12,182 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Jester most popular?

Jester reached its peak popularity in 1920, ranking #3,489 that year with 7 babies given the name.

Is Jester a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Jester is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Jester?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Jester include Junus, Barber, Junuis. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Jester

Jester is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1916 and has accumulated 66 births in the dataset. Jester's peak popularity came in 1920 when it ranked #3,489. Use the chart and map above to compare Jester's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.