🔥Esther

Persian

"star"

Esther Origin and Meaning

The name Esther is a girl's name of Persian origin meaning "star".

Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning "star." In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.

One of the major female figures in the Bible, quiet, studious Esther was in the Top 50 a hundred years ago and stayed in the Top 100 until 1935. It is now on the ascent again, appealing to parents—Ewan McGregor is one—seeking an underused biblical name with a strong history and serious image.

Judy Garland played two memorable Esthers--in Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born; Esther Summerson is a main character in Dickens' Bleak House and Esther Greenwood is the autobiographical character's name in Sylvia Plath's A Bell Jar. Someone who glamorized the name is champion swimmer-turned-movie-star Esther Williams.

Madonna adopted Esther as her Kaballah name.

Esther Rank in US Top 1000

# 138 in the US

Esther Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 132 on Nameberry

Esther Popularity

• 138 US 2023
• 132 Nameberry 2024
• 176 Canada 2023
• 143 Future 2028
• 166 England 2021
• 79 New Zealand 2023
• 340 Germany 2016
• 191 Netherlands 2015
• 208 Mexico 2021
• 17 Denmark 2023
• 8 Israel 2023

20 Names Similar to Esther

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Esther.

• Edith
• Agnes
• Ruth
• Agatha
• Beatrice
• Mabel
• Florence
• Astrid
• Helen
• Anna
• Frances
• Elizabeth
• Theodora
• Ada
• Miriam
• Ariadne
• Margaret
• Anne
• Dorothy
• Alice

Famous People Named Esther

• Esther Jewish Queen of Persia who saved her people; subject of the Biblical Book of Esther
• Esther Jane Williams American swimmer and actress
• Esther Elizabeth Rolle American actress
• Esther Pauline "Eppie" Lederer aka Ann Landers American advice columnist
• Esther Armah British playwright, radio host, and political commentator
• Esther Freud English novelist
• Esther Hicks American self,help author
• Esther Marjorie Hill Canadian architect
• Esther Jones aka Baby Esther American jazz singer; inspiration for Betty Boop
• Esther 'Essie' Davis Australian actress
• Esther Grace Earl American cancer activist; dedicatee of "The Fault in Our Stars"
• Esther Edwards Burr diarist and mother of U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr
• Esther Lofgren American rower
• Esther de Lange Dutch MEP
• Esther Cardoso Cuban actress
• Esther Ouwehand Dutch MP
• Esther Eggertsen Peterson American consumer advocate
• Esther Ralston American silent,film actress
• Esther Louise Rantzen English TV journalist
• Esther Ofarim Israeli pop singer
• Esther Ople Rueher American author
• Esther Sittler French senator
• Esther Povitsky American comedian of duo Esther & Benji
• Esther Schmucker daughter of TV personalities Chester and Mary Schmucker of "Breaking Amish"
• Esther Rose McGregor (b. 2001) daughter of Ewan McGregor
• Esther Malone (b. 2010) daughter of choirmaster and TV personality Gareth Malone
• Esther Testud (b. 2011) daughter of actress Sylvie Testud
• Esther Ballantine Hawkins (b. 2015) daughter of singer Sophie B. Hawkins

Esther in Pop Culture

• Esther twelfth book in the Bible
• Esther Drummond character on TV's "Torchwood"
• Esther Summerson character in Charles Dickens' "Bleak "House"
• Esther Smith character in movie "Meet Me in St. Louis
• Esther AKA Leena Klammer, character in movie "Orphan"
• Esther Mikaelson witch on TV's "Vampire Diaries" & "The Originals"
• Esther Blodgett character in "A Star is Born" who becomes Vicki Lester
• Esther Greenwood main character in "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
• Esther Clavin Cliff's mother on TV's "Cheers"
• Esther Bloom character British soap "Hollyoaks"
• Esther character in "Star of Babylon" by Barbara Wood
• Esther Litt Edelstein character on "Suits"
• Esther character in the "Lights Out" movies
• Porpentina Esther "Tina" Goldstein character in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling
• Esther Walton Grandma on TV show "The Waltons"