Baby Name Popularity Profile

Esther

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Esther.

✦ Star or myrtle 🌍 Persian, Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #119
All-Time Peak Rank #27 Achieved 1896
Total U.S. Births 271,234 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 0.1% Boy / 99.9% Girl Female Archetype
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1920s 6,574 births in 1918
πŸ’‘ The Esther Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Star or myrtle
Language Origin Persian, Hebrew
Origin Type multiple
Derived from the Persian word for 'star' (stāra) or possibly from the Hebrew name Hadassah, meaning 'myrtle'.
Common Nicknames
Essie
Alternative Spellings
Ester
Pronunciation: ES-ter
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

πŸ“– The Story Behind Esther

According to SSA data, Esther achieved its highest historical rank of #27 in 1896. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1918 with 6,574 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have increased by 40.1%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

πŸ“Š Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Esther across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Rising
10-Year Shift +40.1% Growth
18801920196020002025

πŸ“ˆ Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 6,574 births in 1918
Years in Top 100 54 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Moderately Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 3,476
1890s: 14,737
1900s: 20,026
1910s: 49,212
1920s: 49,230
1930s: 25,791
1940s: 17,639
1950s: 15,766
1960s: 10,111
1970s: 7,299
1980s: 8,819
1990s: 9,415
2000s: 11,488
2010s: 15,935
2020s: 12,290

πŸ“ Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Est-her
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with E, a letter used by only 3.9% of SSA names.

πŸ› οΈ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Esther.

πŸ“ Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State North Dakota
Top States North Dakota, South Dakota, New York, Nebraska, Montana
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
North Dakota #210 2,362 1917 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota #104 1,753 1915 Insufficient historical volume
New York #15 31,026 1916 +12.6% Growth
Nebraska #233 2,680 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Montana #225 1,102 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #117 19,217 1918 +37.5% Growth
New Mexico #330 1,912 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas #186 3,611 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #155 4,371 1916 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii #145 955 1928 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #202 6,030 1916 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #11 8,041 2025 +45.9% Growth
Wyoming Unranked 391 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #100 6,528 1916 +64.1% Growth
Alaska #65 381 1981 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado #273 3,210 1921 37.8% Decline
Minnesota #120 4,834 1916 +57.1% Growth
Ohio #220 11,754 1918 +6.1% Growth
Vermont Unranked 422 1921 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #121 3,526 1918 5.1% Decline
Maine Unranked 1,028 1917 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #108 5,712 1915 +32.4% Growth
Idaho #183 892 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #170 8,267 1918 +50.0% Growth
Illinois #212 10,692 1917 7.8% Decline
Rhode Island #159 788 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon #126 1,956 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #103 3,470 1921 1.6% Decline
Arizona #220 2,603 1951 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #124 4,719 1915 +60.0% Growth
Oklahoma #132 2,821 1920 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #241 5,551 1924 +55.2% Growth
California #188 19,100 1928 +31.6% Growth
Texas #215 14,517 1947 +33.9% Growth
West Virginia #241 1,695 1918 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #201 4,050 1922 +17.1% Growth
Delaware Unranked 357 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #417 1,879 1919 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #234 2,424 1919 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #169 1,796 1918 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 719 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #243 1,206 2017 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #371 2,542 1924 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #146 4,761 2024 +7.1% Growth
New Hampshire #219 437 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #186 2,414 1920 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #270 2,394 1915 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi #400 1,530 1923 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #133 2,413 1917 +69.7% Growth
Georgia #208 3,067 1922 +41.7% Growth
Nevada #185 203 2017 Insufficient historical volume

πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§ Sibling Name Suggestions

πŸ‘¦ Brother Suggestions
Charlie Walter Julius Wilson Booker Sidney Lester Sylvan Morris Irving
πŸ‘§ Sister Suggestions
Hazel Clara Mabel Anna Vera Rose Josephine Genevieve Hattie Lottie

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