Esther
Persian, most often read as “star”; possibly reshaped from the goddess Ishtar.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Esther appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1882 to 1935. Its biggest year was 1918, when 6,574 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 38 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1896, at No. 27. In 2025 it ranked No. 119 for girls. All told, 272,206 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other names that share a story: Vanessa
Explore Esther interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,476 | No. 75 |
| 1890s | 14,737 | No. 27 |
| 1900s | 20,026 | No. 32 |
| 1910s | 49,212 | No. 32 |
| 1920s | 49,230 | No. 39 |
| 1930s | 25,791 | No. 77 |
| 1940s | 17,639 | No. 131 |
| 1950s | 15,766 | No. 162 |
| 1960s | 10,111 | No. 234 |
| 1970s | 7,299 | No. 310 |
| 1980s | 8,819 | No. 267 |
| 1990s | 9,415 | No. 283 |
| 2000s | 11,488 | No. 260 |
| 2010s | 15,935 | No. 151 |
| 2020s | 12,290 | No. 119 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.