# Lester

Lester is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname and given name.

## People
### Given name

* Lester Bangs (1948–1982), American music critic
* Lester Oliver Bankhead (1912–1997), American architect
* Lester W. Bentley (1908–1972), American artist from Wisconsin
* Lester Bird (1938–2021), second prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda (1994–2004)
* Lester D. Boronda (1886–1953), American painter, furniture designer, sculptor
* Lester Cotton (born 1996), American football player
* Lester del Rey (1915–1993), American science fiction author and editor
* Lester Ellis (born 1965), Australian former professional boxer
* Lester Flatt (1914–1979), American bluegrass musician
* Lester Gillis (1908–1934), better known as Baby Face Nelson, American gangster
* Les Gold (born 1950), American pawnbroker and reality TV star
* Lester Holt (born 1959), American television journalist
* Lester Charles King (1907–1989), English geomorphologist
* Lester Lanin (1907–2004), American jazz and pop music bandleader
* Lester Lockett (1912–2005), American Negro League baseball player
* Lester Maddox (1915–2003), governor and lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of Georgia
* Lester Martínez (born 1995), Guatemalan professional boxer
* Lester Julian Merriweather (born 1978), American visual artist, collagist, painter
* Lester Patrick (1883–1960), Canadian ice hockey player and coach
* Lester B. Pearson (1897–1972), fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada
* Lester Piggott (1935–2022), English jockey
* Lester Prosper (born 1988), Indonesian basketball player
* Lester Quiñones (born 2000), Dominican-American basketball player
* Lester Speight (born 1963), American actor, former football player and wrestler; known for his portrayal as Terry Tate, Office Linebacker
* Lester Thurow (1938–2016), American economist
* Lester Young (1909–1959), American jazz tenor saxophonist

### Surname

* Adrian Lester (born 1968), British actor
* Albert Lester (c. 1803–1867), New York politician
* Brad Lester (born 1985), collegiate American football player
* Gabriella Lester (born 2003), Canadian magician, escapologist and television producer
* Gavin Lester (born 1977), Australian rugby league footballer
* Holly Lester, disc jockey from Northern Ireland
* Jack Lester (born 1975), English football (soccer) player
* Jenna Lester (born 1989), American dermatologist
* Sir Jim Lester (1932–2021), British politician
* John Lester (1871–1969), American cricketer
* Jon Lester (born 1984), American baseball player
* Josh Lester (born 1994), American baseball player
* Julia Lester (soccer) (born 1998), American professional soccer player
* Julia Lester (born 2000), American actress
* Julius Lester (1939–2018), American writer
* Lashonda Lester (c. 1975–2017), American stand-up comedian
* Luke Fleet Lester, American engineer
* Mark L. Lester (born 1946), American film producer
* Mary Louise Lester (1919–1977), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Marsha I. Lester, American physical chemist
* Paul Lester, British music journalist
* Paul Martin Lester (1953–2023), American communications professor and author
* Peter Lester (disambiguation)
** Peter Lester (abolitionist), American-born 19th-century businessman and abolitionist
** Peter Lester (sailor), New Zealand sailor and broadcaster
* Phil Lester (born 1987), British YouTuber and BBC Radio 1 presenter
* Robert "Squirrel" Lester (1942–2010), American singer, original member of the vocal group The Chi-Lites
* Robie Lester (1925-2005), American actress
* Richard A. Lester (1908–1997), American economist
* Richard Lester (born 1932), British film director
* Richard Neville Lester (1937–2006), British botanist
* Ryan Lester (born 1992), Australian rules footballer
* Seán Lester (1880–1959), Irish diplomat
* Sonny Lester (1924–2018), American record producer
* Tom Lester (1938–2020), American actor
* Tom Lester (American football) (1927–2012), American football coach
* Vicki Lester (1915–2001), American actress
* William "Buddy" Lester (1915–2002), American actor and comedian
* Yami Lester (1941–2017), Australian Indigenous rights advocate

### Fictional characters

* James Lester, from the television series Primeval
* Lester Patel, from the television series Chuck
* Lester Freamon, from the television show The Wire
* Lester Krinklesac, from the television show The Cleveland Show
* Lester Nessman from the television show WKRP in Cincinnati
* Lester Nygaard, from the television series Fargo
* Lester Sludge, from the television show M.A.S.K.
* Lester Crest, from the video game Grand Theft Auto V
* Lester Papadopoulos, from the book series Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
* Lester Burnham, main character in the film American Beauty
* Arthur Lester, main character in the podcast Malevolent by Harlan Guthrie