Name of the Week

 

With Kit getting more attention, it may not be long 
before brother-name Kester is considered for revival.

 

Origin:

A diminutive of Christopher. Christopher derives from Christophoros — composed of the the Greek elements Χριστος (Christos) and φερω (phero) "to carry, to bear" — meaning "bearing Christ"  It has been suggested that the name was originally used as a symbolic name for converted Christians. A legend grew up, however, around the literal meaning of the name, of a St Christopher, who was said to have carried Christ across a river. Although the saint is now considered to be fictitious, he was the focus of an extremely popular medieval cult, and is still looked to today as the patron saint of travellers. Thus, Christopher went from a by-name to a given name.  Kester is also found as a surname, which may derive from the given name, but in some cases may derive from the place names Caister, in Norfolk, or Caistor, in Lincolnshire.

Usage:

Christopher has been in use as a first name in Britain since the 13th century, though examples at this time were rare. Kester first starts appearing on the radar from the 15th century which, incidentally, is when Christopher started to gain popular usage. So much usage, in fact, that Christopher became one of the Top 20 most popular masculine names from the 15th to the 17th century, thanks to the popular cult of St Christopher. It is difficult to find many examples of Kester in official records. Christopher is recorded many times, but it is almost impossible to know how many were called Kester in the vernacular. Some tantalising references can be found, however, showing that it very much was used as a diminutive form. George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham (1592—1628), a favourite of James I, used his influence to ensure his brothers John and Christopher "Kit" were promoted to grooms of the Bedchamber. This led to a snide little rhyme around the court:  Above in the skies, shall Gemini rise, And Twins the court shall pester, George shall call up his brother Jacke, And Jacke his brother Kester. While we know that Christopher Villiers was most often referred to as "Kit" at court, this jingle does show us that Kester was a recognised vernacular form of Christopher at this time. Christopher was well used through the 18th century — when it is estimated to have been among the Top 50 — and we can assume that Kester was used throughout this time. Elizabeth Gaskell chose the name for a character in Sylvia's Lovers (1863), set in the 1790s. Here we can also see the name's vernacular use when she writes: "...first about Kester, whom his sister would persist in calling Christopher, as if his dignity as her elder brother was compromised by any familiar abbreviation" (p478). In 1851, the UK census lists 26 Kesters, all living in England. There were 23 in 1871, 30 in 1891 and 21 in 1911. The birth index for England and Wales shows a low, but consistent usage for Kester, averaging around 9 births every decade from 1840 to 1910. There seems to be a perpetuated myth floating around the internet that Kester is specifically Scottish. However, between 1855 and 1961, not one Kester was registered in Scotland's birth index. Kester is currently used in Scotland — from 1962 to 2009, 17 Kesters were been registered in Scotland — but to localise the origin of the name to Scotland is completely erroneous. On the other hand, there are several examples of Chrystal, the anglicised spelling of Criostal, the Scots Gaelic form of Christopher, in Scottish birth records. Since 1996 between 4-16 boys have been registered with the name Kester every year in England and Wales. In 2011 the name ranked #2390 with 8 births.  The name was registered once in Scotland in both 2010 and 2011.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Paul Kester (c.1870–1933), American playwright. * Kester Berwick (1903–1992), Australian actor and writer.   Literature and Film: * Kester is a character in Elizabeth Gaskell's Sylvia's Lovers (1863). * Kester Woodseaves is the romantic hero in Mary Webb's Precious Bane (1924). * Kester was a supporting character in the 1930s TV serial The Lone Ranger.

Variants:

Christopher, Chris, Kit, Topher (UK), Christoph (German), Christoffel (Dutch), Kristoffer, Risto (Finnish), Cristobal (Spanish)

Pronunciation:

KES-tə  [key]

Possible Diminutives:

Kess, Kett, Kit

Sibling Names:

Elodie     Iris     Polly     Rosabel     Mary    Sylvie  Rollo     Willem     Rafe     Emery     Finian    Lucan

 

If you like Kester you may also like:   Prosper, Jasper, Kerr, Fletcher, Kellan, Caspar, Bennett, Alasdair, Lester, Casimir

 
Thanks to Charlotte for requesting Kester as this week's NotW.