Ester Girl

Popularity: #814 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ES-ter /ˈɛs.tər/

Origin: Hebrew; Latin

Meaning: Hebrew: star; Latin: from the east

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ester has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word "hadassah," which means "myrtle". This name is notably associated with the biblical figure Esther, a Jewish queen of Persia whose story is recounted in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible.

The name Esther itself is thought to have been influenced by the Persian word "setareh," meaning "star," which reflects the cultural intermingling of Jewish and Persian traditions during the time of the Babylonian Exile and subsequent Persian rule in the 5th century BCE. The narrative of Esther is significant in Jewish history, particularly in the celebration of Purim, a festival that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman's plot to annihilate them, as detailed in the biblical text.

The Book of Esther was likely composed in the 4th century BCE and has been a vital part of Jewish liturgy and culture ever since. The name Esther has been carried through various translations and adaptations, appearing in the Greek Septuagint as "Esther" and later in Latin texts, which helped solidify its use in Christian contexts.

Throughout history, the name Ester has been associated with themes of bravery, resilience, and identity, reflecting the qualities of its biblical namesake. The story of Esther has inspired numerous works of literature, art, and drama, reinforcing the name's cultural resonance.

In various languages, the name has taken on different forms, such as "Estelle" in French, which also means "star," further emphasizing its celestial connotations. The enduring legacy of the name Ester is a testament to its deep-rooted significance in both Jewish and broader cultural narratives.

Famous people named Ester

In this section, you will find notable people named Ester. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ester who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ester who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ester Dean is a singer and songwriter best known for writing hits for artists like Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Nicki Minaj.

Ester Perel is a psychotherapist and author best known for her work on relationships and intimacy, including the book Mating in Captivity.

Ester Rada is a singer and actress best known for her music blending jazz, soul, and Ethiopian influences, and her role in the film Ethiopia.

Ester Duflo is an economist best known for her work in development economics and co-authoring the book Poor Economics.

Fictional characters named Ester

The following list of fictional characters named Ester is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Ester is a fictional character from the novel and film Esther. She is a young girl who becomes a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ester, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EvaEmmaElenaEvelynEleanorElyse

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ester. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

EstelleEttaElsieEvelynEileenEvelinaElysia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ester was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Ester has ranked as high as #715 nationally, which occurred in 1925, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Mississippi, and North Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Ester has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ester is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ester was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ester.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 134 0 134
2024 143 0 143
2023 159 0 159
2022 138 0 138
2021 144 0 144
2020 124 0 124
2019 124 0 124
2018 118 0 118
2017 130 0 130
2016 111 0 111
2015 112 0 112
2014 115 0 115
2013 122 0 122
2012 117 0 117
2011 122 0 122
2010 119 0 119
2009 92 0 92
2008 137 0 137
2007 103 0 103
2006 95 0 95
2005 119 0 119
2004 88 0 88
2003 96 0 96
2002 98 0 98
2001 79 0 79
2000 102 0 102
1999 91 0 91
1998 78 0 78
1997 76 0 76
1996 71 0 71
1995 75 0 75
1994 79 0 79
1993 68 0 68
1992 69 0 69
1991 80 0 80
1990 67 0 67
1989 82 0 82
1988 70 0 70
1987 59 0 59
1986 79 0 79
1985 70 6 64
1984 56 0 56
1983 72 0 72
1982 94 0 94
1981 79 0 79
1980 77 5 72
1979 74 0 74
1978 53 0 53
1977 64 0 64
1976 60 0 60
1975 62 0 62
1974 85 5 80
1973 72 0 72
1972 86 0 86
1971 113 7 106
1970 89 0 89
1969 89 5 84
1968 79 0 79
1967 95 6 89
1966 89 0 89
1965 119 0 119
1964 137 0 137
1963 141 0 141
1962 147 6 141
1961 150 5 145
1960 160 0 160
1959 154 7 147
1958 155 8 147
1957 157 8 149
1956 169 5 164
1955 165 7 158
1954 157 16 141
1953 180 0 180
1952 187 9 178
1951 160 17 143
1950 190 13 177
1949 179 6 173
1948 198 15 183
1947 181 10 171
1946 185 12 173
1945 136 9 127
1944 173 16 157
1943 174 18 156
1942 160 10 150
1941 153 13 140
1940 165 13 152
1939 138 13 125
1938 146 7 139
1937 187 22 165
1936 168 17 151
1935 165 7 158
1934 171 14 157
1933 164 17 147
1932 179 16 163
1931 190 11 179
1930 213 20 193
1929 225 18 207
1928 251 23 228
1927 244 24 220
1926 287 24 263
1925 307 26 281
1924 236 20 216
1923 248 18 230
1922 277 28 249
1921 269 16 253
1920 251 25 226
1919 268 28 240
1918 227 25 202
1917 200 25 175
1916 219 21 198
1915 209 22 187
1914 165 31 134
1913 133 12 121
1912 136 13 123
1911 110 9 101
1910 111 19 92
1909 78 9 69
1908 65 6 59
1907 83 0 83
1906 65 0 65
1905 85 0 85
1904 52 0 52
1903 50 6 44
1902 43 0 43
1901 50 0 50
1900 79 7 72
1899 50 6 44
1898 61 6 55
1897 57 6 51
1896 43 0 43
1895 41 0 41
1894 37 0 37
1893 36 0 36
1892 35 0 35
1891 26 6 20
1890 31 6 25
1889 18 0 18
1888 26 5 21
1887 11 0 11
1886 16 0 16
1885 11 0 11
1884 13 0 13
1883 9 0 9
1882 10 0 10
1881 6 0 6

Top States for Ester (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 18
19%
NY 15
16%
CA 13
14%
FL 10
11%
WA 8
8%
GA 8
8%
NJ 7
7%
MA 6
6%
MD 5
5%
IL 5
5%