Noah Boy
NOH-uh
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#2
Chandler
UnisexEnglish, French· “candle maker”
- Meaning
- candle maker
- Origin
- English, French
- Pronunciation
- CHAND-lur
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #753
- US babies 2025
- 342
- Best rank
- #151 (1999)
- Peak year
- 1999
Meaning and origin of Chandler
Chandler is an English and French name that means “candle maker”.
Chandler comes from an English occupational surname for a person who made or sold candles, from the Old French chandelier, related to the Latin candela, candle. The word later came to describe dealers in general supplies, such as a ship's chandler. As a first name, Chandler is used for both boys and girls in the United States, and many people know it from Chandler Bing on the television sitcom Friends. Crime novelist Raymond Chandler carried the surname. The name feels polished and friendly, with Chan and Chandy as possible nicknames.
Popularity over time
Chandler first appears in US Social Security records in 1900. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 48 different years, starting in 1969. Its best national rank was #151 in 1999, the same year it reached its highest count of 2,395 babies. In 2025, 342 babies were named Chandler, and it ranked #753 nationally. That is 53% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #1,141 in 1920, #1,541 in 1950, #1,112 in 1980, #174 in 2000, #495 in 2010, and #753 in 2025. Of the 36,507 US boys named Chandler since records began, 36% were born in the 1990s, its biggest decade. The 2000s come next, with 11,226 babies. Since 2010, 8,646 more have been named Chandler.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Sidney.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Chandler ranked highest in Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Gender, sound and spelling
Chandler is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 28% of US babies named Chandler were girls and 72% were boys.
Chandler is usually pronounced CHAND-lur, with two syllables. It has eight letters, starts with C and ends in “-er”.
Middle names for Chandler
A few middle names that flow with Chandler: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Chandler
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Lists that include Chandler
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Chandler mean?
Chandler is an English and French name that means “candle maker”.
What is the origin of the name Chandler?
Chandler has English and French roots. Chandler comes from an English occupational surname for a person who made or sold candles, from the Old French chandelier, related to the Latin candela, candle.
Is Chandler a popular name?
Yes. Chandler ranked #753 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Chandler a boy or girl name?
Chandler is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 28% of US babies named Chandler were girls and 72% were boys.
How do you pronounce Chandler?
Chandler is usually pronounced CHAND-lur. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings