Esther Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Girl Names Like Esther

Esther Name Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: ess-ter
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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.

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%

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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	Persian
Hetty	Myrtle leaf; star; God rejoices	Persian

What names are variants of Esther?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Esther.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Essie	Star; myrtle leaf	Persian
Essy	Myrtle leaf	Persian
Esta		Latin
Estee	Star; myrtle leaf	Persian
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
Hetty	Myrtle leaf; star; God rejoices	Persian

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
Astrea	Star	Latin
Astryr	Fair, beautiful goddess	Scandinavian
Estrid	Fair, beautiful goddess	Scandinavian
Wister		German

What names are similar to Esther?

Find a name that’s like Esther, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Asta	Star-like; love	Scandinavian
Easter	Christian spring festival	Egyptian
Estelle	Star	Latin
Hadassah	Myrtle tree	Hebrew
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	Greek
Tommy	A diminutive form of Thomas.	Aramaic

Share Your Thoughts

20 Comments

Susan May 21 at 7:18 am

Its my favorite bible story

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Larissa Jan 31 at 8:05 am

She is very healthy and perfect

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Jaime Sep 29 at 5:51 pm

Both my husband and I immediately liked the name when we heard it. The meaning (star) and the legacy (Queen Esther from the Bible) really resonated with us. The only slightly disconcerting thing was when we would tell people her name, many people made comments like “oh I love those ‘old school’ names”, or “that’s such a beautiful traditional name”. It bothered me at first that people would think the name Esther was “old school” or “traditional”, but I’ve learned not to mind.

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Esther Aku Koffie TiTTi Jul 31 at 11:32 pm

My name Esther simply mean a brighting star.

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- Esther Byukusenge Sep 30 at 6:04 am
  
  Yes Esther !the person is like you.we are aspecial light in life like ?
  
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Emily Apr 25 at 2:10 pm

My husband and I wanted to choose a biblical name considering we are Christians, and we love the book of Esther in the Bible. We call her Essie as a nickname!

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Emily Dec 13 at 11:30 am

Esther has always been my favorite book of the Bible. It’s the only book where Gods name is not mentioned but it is so clear how he is orchestrating everything behind the scenes.
In the book Esther is a strong woman who has boundaries and respect for herself and those around her.
She is favored.
Her name means star and her Hebrew name, hadassah, means myrtle tree.
I was reading Esther this year and was thinking about our world and how everyone is fearful and doesn’t know what’s happening next. And I thought of the famous verse, maybe you were created for such a time as this.
My husband and I were concerned about bringing a child into this world, one as dark as this is. But God sent a theologian I follow with a poem reminding me that He sent his Son into a world “as dark as this” and until his Son was here there was no light of the world.
So, in my mind, maybe my Esther was sent into this dark world for such a time as this, and I cannot wait to raise her to be a strong woman, who sees and shares the love of God and shines His light everywhere!

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Mallory Nov 19 at 9:01 am

Our little Esther was a surprise blessing! As soon as we found out about her, I began seeing the scripture from the book of Esther everywhere, which says, “Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created.” Esther was a strong, courageous woman who learned that God’s plan is greater than our own, and I believe the same for my daughter and her story that is just beginning.

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Estée Taylor Jun 24 at 9:14 pm

My name is Est?e, which is a French form of Esther. Although not listed above, since it is a very uncommon form. (Yes, I know the name Estee was listed above, and while they mean the same thing, they are pronounced completely different. Estee is pronounced how it looks, while Est?e is pronounced Estay. The French word ending ?e, makes the sound ay. And is commonly used for the feminine ending of many French words, especially French descriptives. One example is the French word for the greeting “nice to meet you.” Sounding the exact same, but spelled differently, depending on your sexuality. If you are a man you say: Enchant?. If you are a woman you say: Enchant?e. They sound the same, but are spelled according to the sexuality of the person speaking.)

I was named after my Great Grandmother Esther. My parents would have likely named me simply Esther, had there already not been so many other great-grandchildren named after her as well. That and the fact that my parents had a special liking for unique names. (My sister was named Trillium Den?e, which literally means “flower of God redeemed”). In fact, they almost named me Jeanette Est?e, which is the French equivalent of Janet Esther. However, they soon realized that none of my teachers, doctors, etc, would ever get that right, since we live in the U.S. So, I was instead named Est?e Janet.

I also have a feeling that I was named after Queen Esther from the Bible, as we are very much a Christian family. It is no wonder that she is one of my favorite people from the Bible, and that Esther is probably one of my favorite Old Testament books. My mom has always told me to live up to my name. To be a light in the darkness, a star. To be brave and stand up for what is right, just like my namesake Queen Esther did. And I don’t think that it’s coincidence that my middle name, Janet, means courage. 🙂

So if there is someone looking for a beautiful but meaningful name for their little girl, I think that Est?e (or Esther) is a wonderful choice. It means beauty, star (which is a for of light), bravery, good morals, mytrle, and is the name of one of the bravest, most Godly women to ever walk this earth. If you have ever studied the Bible, you will have learned that there are very few woman who have their name mentioned. The are only reason two reasons you would have had your name mentioned in the Bible. A) you were a very Godly person and did something worthwhile to be mention, or B) you were so sinful and vile, that you were mentioned for the sake of using you as an example of what not to act like. Obviously choice A was more common, especially with women. So the have your name put in the Bible as a woman, let alone have a whole book named after you, was very uncommon. There are only two books in the entire Bible that are named after women: Esther and Ruth. And they were both very Godly women, and was/are highly looked up to for their undying faith, reliance, and obedience to God.

I am honored to carry the name that I do. I only hope that when I am called home to my Lord and Savior, that I will have left behind a legacy that lived up to my namesake.

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- Estée Taylor Jun 25 at 2:58 am
  
  Lol! I just realized that this website put in a ? where my special e should be, the one with an accent on it. Go figure!! ? You can see the correct spelling with the accent if you look at my name where is says who commented. If that doesn’t work, just search Google for “e with accent aigu”. It’s the French accent that starts in the lower left section above a letter an goes diagonally up to the upper right section of a letter. (Not to be confused with an accent grave, which is it’s opposite.) Otherwise just go to Google Translate, and make your first language English and the second French. Then type in the English box, “nice to meet you”. It’s not a fully accurate translation (Google Translate rarely is), but the first word will be Enchante, except it should have the accent aigu on the very last letter (an e). Hope that helps! Thanks!!
  
  Reply
Rachel May 20 at 11:43 am

We choose Esther because it was a name from both sides of the family. We have our family trees printed, and I went through them, suggesting names. My hubby vetoed some of them. We liked the name Esther. A few days later, I suggested some other names, and hubby was like, “I thought we already picked a name!” 😀 Also, I love the story of Esther in the Bible– are was such a strong woman!

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Mama Agness Jan 4 at 1:07 am

I choose the name form the biblical point of view simply because of the good character she had. even though she was an orphan girl she had good morals.

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Shelbi Jan 6 at 5:52 pm

She was born for such a time as this

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Esther Dec 2 at 8:49 am

Esther got her name from Queen Esther from the Bible which means beautiful queen. Also my great grandmothers name was Esther. Her middle name is Aponi which is native American for butterfly. So together they mean beautiful butterfly.

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OLGA Aug 31 at 2:52 pm

Shares a birthday date and month with my mom so i gave her my moms name.

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Kathryn Aug 27 at 11:12 am

biblical

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Juliana Jul 22 at 4:27 am

Esther is great name, she was an exceptional being, even at a point of giving up hope was given back

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Hosanna Jul 16 at 10:55 am

We love the story about Esther in the Bible.
Esther stood up for what was right even if her life was taken. She stood up for her people the (Jews) and in the end she was honored because of her dignity and honorable character.
That’s what we are suppose to do as Christ’s fowllowers. Stand up for what is right even if it means standing alone.

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Audrey Apr 16 at 11:24 am

Named after my husband’s grandmothers, Esther on his mom’s side, and Elizabeth on his dad’s side. We would have tried to include my grandmother’s name too, but we couldn’t really think of a good way to use Barbara. Barbara Ann isn’t my favorite. So Esther Elizabeth it is, and I love the way it sounds.

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Ruth Jeremy Apr 12 at 2:25 pm

We named our daughter Esther. It is a name out of the bible from Queen Esther. It is one of my favourite stories in the bible. She was selfless and brave for risking her life to save her people. She was also kind and beautiful and the king adored her. A perfect name for a beautiful little daughter!

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Esther