chet

Chet is a masculine given name, often a short form of Chester, though it has also been used independently since the early 20th century. The name Chester derives from Old English ceaster, meaning a Roman fort or camp, and became a surname or place name that later lent itself to nicknames such as Chet. In Hebrew contexts, Chet (often spelled chet or het) is the transliteration of the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, ח, representing a voiceless fricative sound and appearing in many Hebrew words and names.

Notable people named Chet include:

- Chet Atkins, American guitarist and producer

- Chet Baker, American jazz trumpeter and vocalist

- Chet Hanks, American actor and the son of Tom Hanks

- Chet Culver, American politician who served as the governor of Iowa

- Chet Holmgren, American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder

The given-name form Chet remains most common in English-speaking countries, particularly the United States, though its popularity has varied over time. In addition, the Hebrew letter chet appears in religious, linguistic, and scholarly contexts and is romanized as “chet” or “het” in various systems.