Chase

What does Chase mean?

Chase means “chase” or “hunt,” from a Middle English surname originally used as a nickname for a huntsman. The family name later became a first name, keeping its connection with an ordinary English action word. Its usual pronunciation is CHAYS, with one syllable.

Chace is a related spelling. Chase's final e is silent and helps signal the long ay vowel, while the opening ch has the sound heard in chair. The name can be used in full without needing a longer formal version or an everyday shortening.

A surname with an active sound

The huntsman's nickname gives Chase an occupational background, although its modern spelling also reads immediately as a verb. That combination distinguishes it from surnames whose original everyday meaning has become less familiar.

Its one-syllable shape also makes it rhythmically different from two-syllable surname names such as Carter and Landon. Those names share a pattern of surname use, rather than a common root. Chase keeps the short, clear sound of the word from which its family-name history developed.

Chase Elliott and racing

Racing driver Chase Elliott gives the name a major sporting association. He won the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series championship by winning the season's final race at Phoenix Raceway. It was his first Cup title, achieved during his fifth full season at that level.

The race began with an obstacle: his car failed pre-race inspection, forcing him to start from the rear despite having been assigned the pole position. Elliott came through the field and led 153 laps on the way to victory. The result secured both the race and the championship.

His career also includes the 2014 championship in NASCAR's second national series. The 2020 title therefore followed earlier success as he moved through different levels of the sport. His first name became especially visible in coverage of the Phoenix race and its championship celebration.

Chase in PAW Patrol

For younger audiences, Chase is familiar as the German Shepherd police pup in PAW Patrol. His blue hat and police role distinguish him within the rescue team. The character approaches missions carefully and often takes a leading part in solving a problem.

His name fits the show's short, easily repeated character names, and it also echoes the action of tracking or pursuing something. That makes the word connection unusually immediate for children hearing the name in a rescue story. This animated Chase provides a different association from the real racing driver, while keeping the same compact sound.

Chase in the United States

Chase reached its highest American boys' count and best rank in 2009, with 7,394 babies and No. 61. It ranked No. 123 in 2020 and No. 192 in 2025. Its strongest American newborn generation therefore preceded Elliott's Cup championship, with the name already well established before that achievement.

How popular is Chase?

In 2025, Chase ranked #192 among boys in the United States, with 1,904 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1885; its largest annual count was 7,394 in 2009. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.