Ester
A female given name from Hebrew, alternative form of Esther.
Every Ester since 1881 — 17,156 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ester
Ester is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,574 in 2025 with 134 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 17,156 American babies have been named Ester — about 95% girls and 5% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1925, when 307 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ester stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ester year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 134 | #1,574 | — | — |
| 2024 | 143 | #1,514 | — | — |
| 2023 | 159 | #1,409 | — | — |
| 2022 | 138 | #1,549 | — | — |
| 2021 | 144 | #1,486 | — | — |
| 2020 | 124 | #1,658 | — | — |
| 2019 | 124 | #1,689 | — | — |
| 2018 | 118 | #1,744 | — | — |
| 2017 | 130 | #1,658 | — | — |
| 2016 | 111 | #1,858 | — | — |
| 2015 | 112 | #1,842 | — | — |
| 2014 | 115 | #1,785 | — | — |
| 2013 | 122 | #1,706 | — | — |
| 2012 | 117 | #1,765 | — | — |
| 2011 | 122 | #1,709 | — | — |
| 2010 | 119 | #1,748 | — | — |
| 2009 | 92 | #2,173 | — | — |
| 2008 | 137 | #1,646 | — | — |
| 2007 | 103 | #1,992 | — | — |
| 2006 | 95 | #2,074 | — | — |
| 2005 | 119 | #1,673 | — | — |
| 2004 | 88 | #2,073 | — | — |
| 2003 | 96 | #1,903 | — | — |
| 2002 | 98 | #1,827 | — | — |
| 2001 | 79 | #2,105 | — | — |
| 2000 | 102 | #1,720 | — | — |
| 1995 | 75 | #1,866 | — | — |
| 1990 | 67 | #2,014 | — | — |
| 1985 | 64 | #1,768 | 6 | #6,025 |
| 1980 | 72 | #1,614 | 5 | #6,566 |
| 1975 | 62 | #1,590 | — | — |
| 1970 | 89 | #1,250 | — | — |
| 1965 | 119 | #934 | — | — |
| 1960 | 160 | #825 | — | — |
| 1955 | 158 | #756 | 7 | #3,292 |
| 1950 | 177 | #646 | 13 | #2,138 |
| 1945 | 127 | #652 | 9 | #2,452 |
| 1940 | 152 | #562 | 13 | #2,016 |
| 1935 | 158 | #508 | 7 | #3,055 |
| 1930 | 193 | #482 | 20 | #1,662 |
| 1925 | 281 | #411 | 26 | #1,470 |
| 1920 | 226 | #447 | 25 | #1,521 |
| 1915 | 187 | #448 | 22 | #1,473 |
| 1910 | 92 | #411 | 19 | #686 |
| 1905 | 85 | #368 | — | — |
| 1900 | 72 | #391 | 7 | #1,082 |
| 1895 | 41 | #444 | — | — |
| 1890 | 25 | #527 | 6 | #927 |
| 1885 | 11 | #669 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ester
- Ester Mägi Composer · b. 1922
- Ester Expósito Actor · b. 2000
- Ester Ledecká Skier · b. 1995
- Ester Peony Singer · b. 1993
- Ester Dean Singer · b. 1982
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ester mean?
A female given name from Hebrew, alternative form of Esther.
How popular is the name Ester in 2025?
Ester ranked #1,574 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 134 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ester?
17,156 babies have been named Ester in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ester most popular?
Ester peaked in 1925, when 307 newborns received the name.
Is Ester a boy or girl name?
Ester is used for both: about 95% of babies named Ester have been girls and 5% boys.
Is the name Ester rising or falling?
Ester is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ester?
Well-known people named Ester include Ester Mägi (composer), Ester Expósito (actor), Ester Ledecká (skier).