Lester

English place name, "military camp by the river Ligore"

Until recently, I wasn’t crazy about Lester. Or more, it was barely on my radar: the only Lesters I knew of were a villainous character in a 90s British kids’ TV show (niche), and the jockey Lester Piggott. He was born in 1995, so if I had to describe it at all, it would be as an old guy name. Like Leslie, and their shared nickname, Les.

But then I became aware that writer Clover Stroud has a young son named Lester, and then I read her memoir of when he was born, and how she was inspired by seeing a photo of a friend’s son - called Lester - dressed as Lester Piggott, and loved the name and got her friend’s blessing, and suddenly Lester feels much more plucky and cuddly. And useably vintage.

Also the British city of Leicester — the origin of Lester, and pronounced the same way — is a pretty cool. Dating back to at least Roman times, today it’s delightfully multicultural. Its cathedral is the final resting place of King Richard III, whose remains were serendipitously dug up from under a nearby car park.