girl's name
Esther
ES-ter
- Origin Persian
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 306,699
the United States
#119
2025 births
Esther is a girl's name usually connected to the Persian word for star, and possibly to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther gives her a Hebrew name too — Hadassah, meaning myrtle — reflecting a woman living under two identities.
- Esther is a name of Persian origin.
- Peaked in 1918, when 6,588 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 1,456 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Esther over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,476 |
| 1890s | 14,796 |
| 1900s | 20,097 |
| 1910s | 49,367 |
| 1920s | 49,420 |
| 1930s | 25,987 |
| 1940s | 17,731 |
| 1950s | 15,808 |
| 1960s | 10,139 |
| 1970s | 7,318 |
| 1980s | 8,884 |
| 1990s | 9,447 |
| 2000s | 11,488 |
| 2010s | 15,948 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 12,300 |
What Esther means
Esther is most often read as star, from the Persian setareh. A competing derivation links it to Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, which would make it a name of foreign religious origin carried by a Jewish heroine.
Where Esther comes from
Esther comes to us through the Hebrew Bible but is not a Hebrew name. The Book of Esther states that her Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning myrtle, and that she was known as Esther at the Persian court — a detail that fits the book's theme of concealed identity, since she hides her Jewish origin from the king. The name is most often derived from the Persian setareh, star, or from Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess. The book is read at Purim, and it is notable for never mentioning God directly. Esther entered English use after the Reformation and has been steadily used since.
Esther in use
The Book of Esther gives her two names — Hadassah in Hebrew, Esther at the Persian court — which suits a story about hidden identity.
How popular is Esther?
In 2025, Esther was given to 2,277 babies in the United States, ranking #119 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Esther is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Esther
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Esther also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Esther over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Esther
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Esther in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Esther
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Esther — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Esther
What does the name Esther mean?
Esther is usually read as "star," from the Persian setareh, though a link to the goddess Ishtar is also proposed.
Is Esther a Hebrew name?
Not originally. The Book of Esther gives her Hebrew name as Hadassah, meaning myrtle.
Who was Esther in the Bible?
A Jewish queen of Persia who concealed her origin and intervened to save her people — the story read at Purim.
How popular is the name Esther?
In 2025, Esther was given to 2,277 babies in the United States, ranking #119 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Esther a girl's or a boy's name?
Esther is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Esther?
Esther has 2 syllables.
When was Esther most popular?
Esther peaked in 1918, when 6,588 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Esther?
Esther is usually shortened to Essie and Etta.
Is Esther a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Esther currently ranks #119 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.