Given name & surname
Kessler
“kettler, kettle-smith, tinker”
Kessler is a surname from German.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kessler goes back to German Kessler, Keßler, meaning “kettler, kettle-smith, tinker.”
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
From German Kessler, Keßler (“kettler, kettle-smith, tinker”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1974. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kessler through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 687
- 568 boys · 119 girls
- Most popular year
- 2017
- 40 babies
- 2025
- 31
- #3,616 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 31 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,616 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 11.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 34 in 2017. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 615 as a first name in 2020; 28,055 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kessler’s family of names
In English usage, Kessler as a surname has a related form in Keslar. In English usage, Kessler as a surname has a related form in Keslar. In Greek usage, Kessler as a surname is a transliteration of Κέσσλερ.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Kessler, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Messer
“knife”
>99% boys
Kahlo
Kahlo is a surname from German.
91% boys · 9% girls
Ebben
Ebben is a surname from German.
>99% boys
Kush
Kush is a surname from German.
>99% boys
Heyden
Heyden is a surname from German.
>99% boys
Schaefer
Schaefer is a surname from German, ultimately from Old High German.
>99% boys
Brix
Brix is a surname from German.
99% boys · 1% girls
Kail
“a mighty warrior”
>99% boys