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Name Lineage

    The first name Chesney

    A boy’s name meaning “oak grove”, “oak”.

    2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Chesney means “oak grove”, “oak”.

    From Norman place names meaning “oak grove” (cognate to French chênaie), from Picard quesne, from Vulgar Latin *cassanus, probably from Gaulish kassanos (“oak”).

    More names that mean forest.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Chesney last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2005, with 13 births (#1,456).

    01020 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    72
    babies named Chesney, 1996–2025
    #4,991
    rank in 2023
    2005
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Chesney with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Chesney at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 61 girls born in the United States were named Chesney, the 2,785th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2005, when 131 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    2,821
    babies named Chesney since 1880
    #2,785
    rank in 2025
    2005
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Chainey
    • Chaney
    • Cheeney
    • Cheney
    • Cheyne
    • Cheyney

    Famous people named Chesney

    2 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Chesney Hawkes
      British singer, born 1971
    • Chet Baker
      American jazz trumpeter and vocalist (1929-1988)

    Questions

    What does the name Chesney mean?
    Chesney means “oak grove”, “oak”.
    How popular is the name Chesney?
    In 2023, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Chesney, ranking 4,991st. Its peak was 2005, with 13 births.
    Is Chesney a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 2,821 US babies named Chesney since 1880, 94% were girls and 6% boys.
    When was Chesney most popular?
    2005 in the United States, when 131 babies were named Chesney, its highest rank at 1,555th.
    What are other spellings of Chesney?
    Chainey, Chaney, Cheeney, Cheney, Cheyne and Cheyney.
    Is Chesney also a surname?
    Yes. Chesney is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.