Esther: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “star”
- Origin
- Persian
- Say it
- ES-ter · 2 syllables
- Used for
- Girls
Biblical name of the Jewish queen in the Book of Esther. Its origin is commonly linked to Persian setareh 'star,' though some also connect it with the Near Eastern goddess name Ishtar.
How popular is Esther?
Babies named Esther in 20242,206
2024 rank#131 girls
Peak year1897
Total US babies since 1880269,879
Esther is rising: use over the last five years is 1.6× what it was a decade earlier.
Names like Esther
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Esther questions
What does the name Esther mean?
Esther means "star". It comes from Persian. Biblical name of the Jewish queen in the Book of Esther. Its origin is commonly linked to Persian setareh 'star,' though some also connect it with the Near Eastern goddess name Ishtar.
Is Esther a boy or girl name?
Esther is mainly a girl's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Esther?
2,206 US babies were named Esther in 2024. Its peak year was 1897.
How do you pronounce Esther?
Esther is usually pronounced ES-ter.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.