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Esther Name Origin: Persian
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Pronunciation: ess-ter
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See what 26 people think about Esther
Esther Name Meaning
The name Esther symbolizes bravery and strength. Esther was not just a beautiful queen but also a strong and courageous leader who saved her people from certain doom. The name is also associated with beauty and grace. Esther was a beautiful young woman who was chosen to be the queen of Persia. The name is also associated with the myrtle tree, which is a symbol of love and fertility.
History of the Name Esther
The name Esther comes from the Hebrew name “Hadassah,” which means “myrtle tree.” It’s most famously borne by the Jewish queen Esther in the Bible, who saved her people from extermination by the Persian king Xerxes. In the Book of Esther, Esther, a young Jewish girl, becomes queen of Persia and uses her position to reveal and stop a plot to exterminate the Jewish people. This story is celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Purim.
Popularity of the Name Esther
The name Esther has been popular for centuries. It was a popular name in the 19th century and early 20th century, and again in recent years. In the United States, the name Esther has been in the top 1000 names for girls since 1880. It reached its peak popularity in the early 1900s, and has been consistently popular in the past couple of decades.
Famous Esthers
There are many famous people named Esther, such as Esther Williams, the famous Hollywood actress and competitive swimmer, and Esther Hicks, an American inspirational speaker and author.
Final Thoughts on the Name Esther
The name Esther is a beautiful and meaningful name with a rich history. It symbolizes bravery, strength, beauty, and grace. The name Esther has been popular for centuries and is a great choice for any little girl.
Infographic of Esther name meaning, which is A Persian name, Esther means a star.
Ask your friends & family about Esther…
Esther Name Popularity
How popular is the name Esther? Here’s everything we know.
Year |
Rank |
# Births |
% Births |
1910 |
38 |
2,358 |
0.6697% |
1911 |
34 |
2,670 |
0.717% |
1912 |
33 |
3,567 |
0.7073% |
1913 |
32 |
4,086 |
0.7207% |
1914 |
35 |
4,653 |
0.6677% |
1915 |
33 |
6,317 |
0.6953% |
1916 |
34 |
6,419 |
0.6645% |
1917 |
38 |
6,274 |
0.6271% |
1918 |
38 |
6,572 |
0.6124% |
1919 |
38 |
6,243 |
0.5962% |
1920 |
39 |
6,066 |
0.5456% |
1921 |
42 |
5,923 |
0.5173% |
1922 |
44 |
5,473 |
0.4913% |
1923 |
47 |
5,311 |
0.4742% |
1924 |
51 |
5,255 |
0.4525% |
1925 |
56 |
4,723 |
0.4179% |
1926 |
62 |
4,452 |
0.4048% |
1927 |
64 |
4,325 |
0.3907% |
1928 |
66 |
4,092 |
0.3824% |
1929 |
71 |
3,584 |
0.346% |
1930 |
77 |
3,347 |
0.3204% |
1931 |
79 |
3,030 |
0.307% |
1932 |
82 |
2,955 |
0.2991% |
1933 |
88 |
2,674 |
0.287% |
1934 |
91 |
2,569 |
0.2657% |
1935 |
94 |
2,538 |
0.2612% |
1936 |
107 |
2,246 |
0.2332% |
1937 |
116 |
2,143 |
0.2175% |
1938 |
120 |
2,124 |
0.2075% |
1939 |
117 |
2,101 |
0.2065% |
1940 |
131 |
1,898 |
0.1786% |
1941 |
138 |
1,796 |
0.1596% |
1942 |
143 |
1,809 |
0.1433% |
1943 |
151 |
1,756 |
0.1345% |
1944 |
151 |
1,602 |
0.1293% |
1945 |
161 |
1,438 |
0.1179% |
1946 |
150 |
1,770 |
0.12% |
1947 |
162 |
1,822 |
0.1092% |
1948 |
154 |
1,833 |
0.1148% |
1949 |
162 |
1,769 |
0.11% |
1950 |
163 |
1,711 |
0.1063% |
1951 |
168 |
1,801 |
0.1062% |
1952 |
178 |
1,703 |
0.0976% |
1953 |
190 |
1,596 |
0.0902% |
1954 |
192 |
1,611 |
0.0881% |
1955 |
202 |
1,545 |
0.084% |
1956 |
209 |
1,477 |
0.0782% |
1957 |
217 |
1,456 |
0.0757% |
1958 |
229 |
1,309 |
0.0693% |
1959 |
233 |
1,335 |
0.0703% |
1960 |
233 |
1,339 |
0.0707% |
1961 |
239 |
1,285 |
0.0681% |
1962 |
251 |
1,230 |
0.067% |
1963 |
263 |
1,100 |
0.0613% |
1964 |
282 |
998 |
0.0567% |
1965 |
279 |
936 |
0.0572% |
1966 |
292 |
830 |
0.0532% |
1967 |
311 |
726 |
0.0478% |
1968 |
321 |
693 |
0.0462% |
1969 |
338 |
665 |
0.0432% |
1970 |
349 |
679 |
0.0427% |
1971 |
335 |
720 |
0.0479% |
1972 |
331 |
657 |
0.0482% |
1973 |
316 |
695 |
0.0536% |
1974 |
318 |
669 |
0.0515% |
1975 |
322 |
651 |
0.0507% |
1976 |
342 |
600 |
0.0466% |
1977 |
310 |
726 |
0.0539% |
1978 |
319 |
675 |
0.0502% |
1979 |
316 |
714 |
0.0506% |
1980 |
298 |
799 |
0.0546% |
1981 |
273 |
871 |
0.0593% |
1982 |
265 |
900 |
0.0602% |
1983 |
277 |
820 |
0.0556% |
1984 |
279 |
832 |
0.0559% |
1985 |
292 |
813 |
0.0536% |
1986 |
292 |
817 |
0.0541% |
1987 |
288 |
812 |
0.0532% |
1988 |
280 |
868 |
0.0557% |
1989 |
289 |
866 |
0.0537% |
1990 |
286 |
935 |
0.0564% |
1991 |
305 |
877 |
0.0538% |
1992 |
300 |
901 |
0.0564% |
1993 |
301 |
849 |
0.0545% |
1994 |
290 |
917 |
0.0598% |
1995 |
302 |
885 |
0.0587% |
1996 |
321 |
845 |
0.0564% |
1997 |
319 |
875 |
0.0592% |
1998 |
320 |
914 |
0.0611% |
1999 |
320 |
941 |
0.0628% |
2000 |
328 |
936 |
0.0613% |
2001 |
299 |
1,022 |
0.0678% |
2002 |
300 |
1,008 |
0.0673% |
2003 |
290 |
1,044 |
0.0686% |
2004 |
296 |
1,066 |
0.0699% |
2005 |
281 |
1,156 |
0.0756% |
2006 |
289 |
1,116 |
0.0713% |
2007 |
272 |
1,230 |
0.078% |
2008 |
268 |
1,244 |
0.0805% |
2009 |
263 |
1,207 |
0.0808% |
2010 |
260 |
1,228 |
0.0852% |
2011 |
235 |
1,306 |
0.0917% |
2012 |
236 |
1,311 |
0.092% |
2013 |
220 |
1,394 |
0.0979% |
2014 |
196 |
1,634 |
0.1122% |
2015 |
199 |
1,587 |
0.1091% |
2016 |
177 |
1,793 |
0.1244% |
2017 |
161 |
1,798 |
0.1288% |
2018 |
149 |
1,806 |
0.1315% |
2019 |
163 |
1,682 |
0.1242% |
2020 |
151 |
1,742 |
0.1369% |
2021 |
190 |
1,416 |
0.1158% |
2022 |
140 |
2,034 |
0.1542% |
District of Columbia (DC)
Data via SSA.gov.
Names Like Esther
If you like Esther, you’ll love these other names like Esther.
What names are diminutives of Esther?
A diminutive is a name that’s like Esther sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Esther, but shorter.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Essie
|
Star; myrtle leaf
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Persian
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Hetty
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Myrtle leaf; star; God rejoices
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Persian
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|
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What names are variants of Esther?
Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Esther.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Essie
|
Star; myrtle leaf
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Persian
|
|
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Essy
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Myrtle leaf
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Persian
|
|
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Esta
|
|
Latin
|
|
|
Estee
|
Star; myrtle leaf
|
Persian
|
|
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Ester
|
Myrtle leaf
|
Persian
|
|
|
Estera
|
Myrtle leaf
|
Persian
|
|
|
Etti
|
Myrtle leaf
|
Persian
|
|
|
Ettie
|
Myrtle leaf; home ruler
|
Persian
|
|
|
Etty
|
Myrtle leaf; home ruler
|
Persian
|
|
|
Hester
|
Star
|
Greek
|
|
|
Hesther
|
Myrtle leaf; star
|
Persian
|
|
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Hetty
|
Myrtle leaf; star; God rejoices
|
Persian
|
|
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What names sound like Esther?
If you like how Esther sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Esther.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Astera
|
Star-like; love
|
Scandinavian
|
|
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Astrea
|
Star
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Latin
|
|
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Astryr
|
Fair, beautiful goddess
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Scandinavian
|
|
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Estrid
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Fair, beautiful goddess
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Scandinavian
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|
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Wister
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German
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|
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What names are similar to Esther?
Find a name that’s like Esther, but just a little bit different.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Asta
|
Star-like; love
|
Scandinavian
|
|
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Easter
|
Christian spring festival
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Egyptian
|
|
|
Estelle
|
Star
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Latin
|
|
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Hadassah
|
Myrtle tree
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Hebrew
|
|
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Starla
|
Star
|
Persian
|
|
|
Lists With Esther
Find inspiration in these baby girl name lists featuring the name Esther.
Siblings of Esther
Mamas with kids named Esther also have kids with these names.
Name |
Meaning |
Origin |
Popularity |
Other Gender |
Elinore
|
Sun ray, shining light
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Greek
|
|
|
Tommy
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A diminutive form of Thomas.
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Aramaic
|
|
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