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Home › Baby Names Directory › Esra

Esra

♀ Girl

Pronounced EHS-ra /ˈɛs.ræ/Medium

Meaning: Nocturnal journeyMedium

In 30 seconds: Esra is a Turkish name meaning 'nocturnal journey', a quiet, evocative image of travel by night.
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Origin MediumTurkish
MeaningNocturnal journey
U.S. rank (2025)#2662 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births65 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 660

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519822025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Esra is a Turkish girl's name carrying the sense of a journey taken at night. It is well established in Turkey, worn by figures such as the actress Esra Bilgiç. Its spelling and sound connect it to a small family of related forms used across Turkish and Arabic naming.

The variations Esraa, Isra and Israa show the name moving between Turkish and Arabic spellings while holding the same core sound. Esra is the compact, two-syllable Turkish form.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Esra is 'nocturnal journey', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name - Esra — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

EsraaIsraIsraa

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Esra Dermancıoğlu (1968–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.
  • ★Esra Bilgiç (1992–present)
    Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Esra…

Isra— a variation tied to the same nocturnal-journey idea
Azra— lands in the same popularity range
Elif— lands in the same popularity range
Aylah— a similarly popular pick
Ziya— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Esra

By themeturkish

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Esra mean?

Esra is usually explained as meaning 'nocturnal journey' and is most often linked with Turkish tradition.

How do you pronounce Esra?

It's commonly said EHS-ra /ˈɛs.ræ/.

Is Esra a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Esra is used as a girl name.

How popular is Esra?

In 2024, Esra ranked #2774 in the U.S. for girls, with 61 births recorded.

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