Esther

Did you know?

A few things about Esther you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Esther

Esther Williams

American swimmer, actress and singer (1921–2013)

Choose Esther and your child shares a first name with Esther Williams, an American swimmer, actress and singer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Esther, like who?” Esther Williams's Wikipedia article is available in 50 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Esther Williams on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Trailer screenshot, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 706 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Esther, 2,277 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Esther would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryEsther has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Esthers, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1896, when it ranked #27. Today it's #119, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowEsther is 2.6× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 1,849 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 706.
• 🚀TrendEsther has climbed 29 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #119. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedEsther is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #11, followed by New York (#15) and Alaska (#60). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
• 💬MeaningIn Persian, Esther means “star”.

About the name Esther

Esther is a girl name meaning “star”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-her”. US birth records list Esther for girls from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1896, when it ranked #27 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #119, with 2,277 babies.