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Home › Baby Names Directory › Ester

Ester

♀ Girl

Pronounced ehs-TEHR /ɛsˈtɛr/Medium

Meaning: a variant of Esther, generally taken to mean 'star', from Old Persian; possibly linked to the goddess IshtarMedium

In 30 seconds: Ester is a streamlined spelling of Esther, usually read as 'star' and traced back to Old Persian, with longstanding ties to Jewish tradition.
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Origin MediumPersian, Hebrew
Meaninga variant of Esther, generally taken to mean 'star', from Old Persian; possibly linked to the goddess Ishtar
U.S. rank (2025)#1574 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births134 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1925
Total births (all-time)≈ 16,261

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192518812025

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

The name comes to us through Esther, the heroine of the biblical book that bears her name. Its meaning is generally given as 'star', drawn from Old Persian, and some have linked it further to the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. Ester is the trimmer form favored in several European languages, keeping the sound while dropping the silent 'h'.

Spoken aloud it lands softly, with that open first syllable carrying the weight. The variations span from the familiar Esther to the Finnish Esteri and accented forms like Èstêr, showing how the same name bends to fit different alphabets and tongues.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Ester is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Ester — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

EstherEsteriÈstêrEstèr'Ester

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Ester Boserup (1910-1999)
    Danish economist known for her work on agricultural development
  • ★Ester Ledecká (1995-)
    Czech snowboarder and alpine skier, double Olympic gold medalist in 2018
  • ★Ester Dean (1982-)
    American singer and songwriter

If you like Ester…

Esther— the fuller original spelling that Ester simplifies
Hadassah— Esther's Hebrew name in the biblical narrative, often paired with it
Stella— shares the 'star' meaning through Latin rather than Persian
Asher— a similarly popular pick
Edna— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Ester

By themespanishbiblicalcatalan
By meaningGod / DivineStar

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Ester mean?

Ester is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with Spanish tradition.

How do you pronounce Ester?

It's commonly said ehs-TEHR /ɛsˈtɛr/.

Is Ester a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Ester?

In 2024, Ester ranked #1508 in the U.S. for girls, with 143 births recorded.

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