Baby Names: Chase

Thinking of naming your baby "Chase"? Learn all about the name, from its etymology, origin, and history to Chase's current popularity, fascinating facts about the name Chase, and famous people named Chase.

ETYMOLOGY:
Chase means "hunter."

ORIGIN & HISTORY:
The name Chase is of French/English origin. It first began appearing as a surname in the Middle Ages, when it was traditional to call someone by their occupation. In Old French, "chacier" means "to catch" or "seize," and after the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the word became anglicized to "chase." Huntsmen began receiving the surname Chase around 1350.

The use of the word chase in this manner persists to this day, where "the chase" is used to mean hunting.

POPULARITY:
Until about twenty years ago, Chase was encountered most frequently as a surname. In the 1980s, most likely inspired by the success of actor-comedian Chevy Chase, the name skyrocketed in popularity. Today, it's among the top 100 names for boys in the U.S. and Canada.

FASCINATING FACTS:
Thanks to the name's quick rise in popularity, Chase is fast becoming a common first name in television and film - beyond even soap operas. Chase Hammond (played by Adrian Grenier) was one of the main characters in 1999's "Drive Me Crazy." Chase Edmunds (played by James Badge Dale) was an anti-terrorism agent on television's "24." and Chase Young is a baddie in Cartoon Network's "Xiaolin Showdown."

NAMESAKES:
Several small towns in North America share the name Chase: there are Chases in Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Wisconsin, and British Columbia.

USS Chase is the name of two destroyers in the U.S. Navy, and CHASE is a military acronym (cut holes and sink 'em) used to describe scuttling ships.

Chase Aircraft Company built gliders for the Air Force in World War II.

Chase Manhattan Bank's history goes back to 1877, when founder John Thompson named the Bank for former Treasury Secretary and Chief Supreme Court Justice Salmon P. Chase. While Chase was Secretary of the Treasury, he placed his face on the front of the one-dollar bill, earning him the nickname "Old Mister Greenbacks."

FAMOUS PERSONS:
Chevy Chase (born Oct. 8, 1943), comedian/actor. He was one of the original cast of Saturday Night Live, winning two Emmy Awards for his work. He left SNL early in the second season to pursue a film career, and starred in Caddyshack, Three Amigos, and four National Lampoon films, among others.

Chase Masterson (born Feb. 26, 1963) is an actress who's starred in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "General Hospital" (playing Ivy Lief), "Sliders," and "ER."

NAME VARIANTS:
Also short for Chauncey. Variants include Chayse, Chaseyn, Chace, and Chayson.