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Vester

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Vester

Pronounced VES-tur /ˈvɛs.tɚ/High

Meaning: Vester is a short form of Sylvester, from the Latin silvestris, 'of the woods, wooded, wild'. It carries that woodland meaning in a plain, everyday shape.Medium

In 30 seconds: Vester is a short form of Sylvester, from the Latin for 'of the woods'. A plain early-century name, it crested in 1922.

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Origin MediumLatin

MeaningVester is a short form of Sylvester, from the Latin silvestris, 'of the woods, wooded, wild'. It carries that woodland meaning in a plain, everyday shape.

U.S. rank (1991)#9584 ↘ Falling

1991 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1922

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,566

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Vester is an everyday short form of Sylvester, from the Latin silvestris, 'of the woods'. In the rural early twentieth century, families often set such trimmed forms directly on birth certificates, and Vester appears in United States records from the eighteen-eighties, most warmly around the nineteen-twenties.

Vester reached its high point in 1922 and faded through mid-century, giving it a grandfather-and-great-grandfather feel. It has stayed an antique rarity rather than reviving, though the fuller Sylvester has drawn a little fresh attention among vintage-name enthusiasts.

Did you know? The Sylvester behind Vester was borne by three popes and an early saint, all carrying the Latin sense of the wild woodland — a forest meaning tucked inside a homespun given name.

Overall data confidence 68%

References — Vester — Short form of Sylvester, Latin silvestris 'of the woods'; SSA peak 1922

Variations

SylvesterSilvesterVestor

Nicknames

VesVess

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Vester…

Sylvester— the full parent name Vester shortens

Lester— a like early-century -ester boys' name

Chester— a same-era vintage -ester name of similar feel

Vernon— another antique boys' name of the period

Explore names like Vester

By themevintage latin two-syllable antique

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Vester mean?

Vester is a short form of Sylvester, from the Latin silvestris, meaning 'of the woods'.

How do you pronounce Vester?

It's said VES-tur /ˈvɛs.tɚ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Vester a boy or girl name?

Vester is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Vester?

Vester was an uncommon name that crested in the early nineteen-twenties and has been rare since.