Lester is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname and 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

• Adrian Lester (born 1968), British actor
• Albert Lester (c. 1803–1867), New York politician
• Brad Lester (born 1985), collegiate American football player
• 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 (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 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

• 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

• H. Lester Hooker (1921–1999), American college basketball and baseball coach
• Leicester, a city in England pronounced the same way as "Lester"

• Media related to Lester (given name) at Wikimedia Commons