Nestor
Nestor, or Néstor, is a given name of Greek origin. In Greek mythology it comes from that of Nestor, the son of Neleus, the King of Pylos and Chloris. The Greek derivation is from a combination of νέομαι, néomai, 'go back', and νόστος, nóstos, 'one who returns from travels'.
- Greek Mythology
- Portuguese
- French
- Ukrainian
Meaning & Origin of Nestor
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nestor, or Néstor, is a given name of Greek origin. In Greek mythology it comes from that of Nestor, the son of Neleus, the King of Pylos and Chloris. The Greek derivation is from a combination of νέομαι, néomai, 'go back', and νόστος, nóstos, 'one who returns from travels'.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Greek Mythology
- Portuguese
- French
- Ukrainian
- Russian
- Spanish
The Story of Nestor
Nestor first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1885, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1991: 300 births, good for #586 nationwide. About 25% of every Nestor on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nestor ranks #1,763 for baby boys with 94 births, gradually falling (-12%). All told, over 11K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Nestor
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Nestor of Gaza (died c. 362), early Christian martyr
- Nestor of Laranda (2nd–3rd centuries), Greek poet
- Nestor of Magydos or Saint Nestor, Christian saint (died 250)
- Nestor of Thessaloniki , another saint (died c. 300)
- Nestor the Chronicler (c. 1056 – c. 1114), reputed author of the earliest East Slavic chronicle
- Nestor Binabo (died 2023), Nigerian politician
- Néstor Botero (1919-1996), Colombian journalist, writer and merchant
- Nestor Carbonell (born 1967), American actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Nestor
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nestor is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nestor
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About the name Nestor
Nestor is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1885 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Nestor's peak popularity came in 1991 when it ranked #586. Use the chart and map above to compare Nestor's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1991 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.