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Esther Name Meaning, Origins & History

Esther

Pronunciation: ESS-ter

Meaning Star Origin Persian Gender Girl
GIRLS RANK
#119
TREND
12
Peak Years
1918, 1916, 1915
Lowest Years
1881, 1880, 1883
Energy Archetype
Versatile & Freedom-Loving

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Esther in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Esther

  • Decades of popularity: Esther stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 54 consecutive years, from 1882 through 1935.
  • More than 272 thousand babies named Esther: U.S. records list 272,156 babies given the name Esther from 1880 through 2025. Even 967 boys received the name Esther - about 1 boy for every 280 girls.

What Does the Name Esther Mean?

Esther is a feminine name generally traced to Old Persian. It is most often explained as meaning "star," from Old Persian stāra-, a word related to Latin stella and English star. This is the leading scholarly proposal, but it is not certain.

In the Hebrew Bible the name belongs to the Jewish queen of Persia, who is also called Hadassah, a Hebrew name meaning "myrtle." The biblical text connects Esther to the Hebrew root satar (סתר), "to hide" or "conceal," and the Talmud repeats that wordplay. That "hidden" sense is a later Jewish interpretation, not the literal etymology.

A competing explanation links the name to the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (Akkadian Ištar), whose cult was widespread in the ancient Near East. Because no ancient source states the derivation directly, the exact origin and meaning remain disputed.

Esther Name History & Origins

The name is known chiefly from the biblical Book of Esther, set at the court of the Persian king Ahasuerus, commonly identified with Xerxes I. In the narrative the heroine is a Jewish woman from Susa whose Hebrew name is Hadassah and who is also called Esther; she becomes queen and saves her people from a plot. The book's Hebrew wordplay ties her name to the root satar, "to hide."

How the name actually entered Hebrew is debated. Besides the link to Old Persian stāra-, "star," some scholars connect it with the goddess Ishtar or with a Persian word for myrtle. No ancient text states the derivation outright, so the question is unresolved.

From the Hebrew scriptures the name passed into Greek as Esthēr in the Septuagint and into Latin as Esther in the Vulgate, which carried it into Christian Europe. In Jewish communities it has long been given in memory of the Purim heroine, whose story is read each year from the Megillat Esther (Scroll of Esther).

In English the related form Hester was common from the medieval period. The name also appears in closely similar forms in other European languages, such as Spanish and Italian Ester and German and French Esther.

How Popular is the Name Esther?

Esther remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1882 to 1935. Its highest annual birth count was in 1918, and people born that year turn 108 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Esther

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

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How the Name Esther Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.

✦ Esther's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Esther's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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