Chesley Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: CHEZ-lee //ˈtʃɛzli//
Origin: English; Old English
Meaning: English: meadow by the river; Old English: from the riverbank
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Chesley has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "ces" meaning "cheese" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests a literal meaning of "cheese clearing" or "meadow where cheese is made." The name likely evolved from the Old English "Cæselēah," which would have referred to a geographical location or a settlement associated with cheese production. As the English language developed, the name transitioned through various forms before becoming established in its current form, Chesley, in the Middle Ages.
Historically, the name Chesley can be linked to several notable figures and places. One significant milestone is its association with various locations in England, particularly in the regions of Cheshire and Derbyshire, where the name appears in historical records from the 12th century onward.
The name may have been borne by local nobility or landowners, contributing to its recognition in medieval England. Additionally, the name appears in some genealogical records, indicating its use among families of some standing during the late medieval period.
Culturally, the name Chesley carries connotations of pastoral life and agrarian society, reflecting the importance of agriculture in medieval England. The association with cheese production may also evoke traditional English culinary practices, linking the name to the rural heritage of the country.
While diminutive forms such as "Ches" may exist, they are less documented in historical texts. Overall, the name Chesley encapsulates a blend of linguistic heritage and cultural significance, rooted in the landscape and lifestyle of early English society.
Famous people named Chesley
In this section, you will find notable people named Chesley. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Chesley who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Chesley who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Chesley Sullenberger is a retired airline pilot best known for the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Chesley, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Chesley. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Chesley was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Chesley has ranked as high as #2040 nationally, which occurred in 1923, and has been most popular in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
In the past 5 years the name Chesley has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Chesley is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Chesley was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Chesley.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2021 | 14 | 7 | 7 |
| 2020 | 17 | 12 | 5 |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| 2014 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 2013 | 19 | 11 | 8 |
| 2012 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 2011 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2010 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 2009 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 2008 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2005 | 24 | 13 | 11 |
| 2004 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 2003 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 2002 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| 2001 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| 2000 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 1999 | 15 | 6 | 9 |
| 1998 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| 1997 | 24 | 12 | 12 |
| 1996 | 21 | 9 | 12 |
| 1995 | 37 | 11 | 26 |
| 1994 | 33 | 10 | 23 |
| 1993 | 29 | 9 | 20 |
| 1992 | 32 | 10 | 22 |
| 1991 | 32 | 16 | 16 |
| 1990 | 41 | 16 | 25 |
| 1989 | 48 | 16 | 32 |
| 1988 | 37 | 12 | 25 |
| 1987 | 29 | 12 | 17 |
| 1986 | 27 | 11 | 16 |
| 1985 | 35 | 18 | 17 |
| 1984 | 34 | 18 | 16 |
| 1983 | 45 | 25 | 20 |
| 1982 | 33 | 17 | 16 |
| 1981 | 29 | 14 | 15 |
| 1980 | 39 | 22 | 17 |
| 1979 | 34 | 27 | 7 |
| 1978 | 43 | 25 | 18 |
| 1977 | 24 | 17 | 7 |
| 1976 | 25 | 19 | 6 |
| 1975 | 26 | 18 | 8 |
| 1974 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| 1973 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1972 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 1971 | 24 | 18 | 6 |
| 1970 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
| 1969 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| 1968 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1967 | 23 | 16 | 7 |
| 1966 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1965 | 17 | 17 | 0 |
| 1964 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1963 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1962 | 22 | 17 | 5 |
| 1961 | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| 1960 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1959 | 27 | 27 | 0 |
| 1958 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1957 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| 1956 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1955 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
| 1954 | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| 1953 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1952 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1951 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 1950 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1949 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
| 1948 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 1947 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1946 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1945 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1944 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1943 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| 1942 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1941 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| 1940 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1939 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 1938 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 1937 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
| 1936 | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| 1935 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1934 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1933 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| 1932 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 1931 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| 1930 | 44 | 44 | 0 |
| 1929 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| 1928 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 1927 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1926 | 31 | 31 | 0 |
| 1925 | 34 | 34 | 0 |
| 1924 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| 1923 | 48 | 48 | 0 |
| 1922 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| 1921 | 41 | 36 | 5 |
| 1920 | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| 1919 | 34 | 34 | 0 |
| 1918 | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| 1917 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 1916 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| 1915 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| 1914 | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| 1913 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1912 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1910 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| 1909 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1908 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1907 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1906 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1905 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1904 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1903 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1902 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1901 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1899 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1898 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| 1897 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1896 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1894 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| 1893 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1891 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1890 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1889 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1888 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1886 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1885 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1884 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1882 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1881 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1880 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
Top States for Chesley (1995)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| AL | 5 | |
| NC | 5 |