Esther
Say it: ESS-ter/ˈɛstə/
GirlMeans possibly "star"6 letters2 syllables
#207
in Ireland (2025)
#211 with spellings combined
21
babies in 2025
#101
best rank (1965)
1,242
babies since 1964
Up 134
10-year rank change
Esther through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | #211 |
| 2024 | 13 | #310 |
| 2023 | 16 | #248 |
| 2022 | 20 | #222 |
| 2021 | 15 | #287 |
| 2020 | 18 | #248 |
| 2019 | 8 | #456 |
| 2018 | 11 | #385 |
| 2017 | 14 | #316 |
| 2016 | 13 | #336 |
| 2015 | 14 | #345 |
| 2014 | 12 | #373 |
| 2013 | 7 | #544 |
| 2012 | 19 | #265 |
| 2011 | 11 | #418 |
| 2010 | 14 | #356 |
| 2009 | 12 | #381 |
| 2008 | 15 | #323 |
| 2007 | 12 | #350 |
| 2006 | 14 | #286 |
| 2005 | 21 | #204 |
| 2004 | 17 | #222 |
| 2003 | 28 | #155 |
| 2002 | 28 | #148 |
| 2001 | 18 | #204 |
| 2000 | 9 | #303 |
| 1999 | 6 | #356 |
| 1998 | 9 | #270 |
| 1997 | 5 | #440 |
| 1996 | 6 | #393 |
| 1995 | 8 | #327 |
| 1994 | 13 | #255 |
| 1993 | 10 | #300 |
| 1992 | 13 | #269 |
| 1991 | 7 | #365 |
| 1990 | 15 | #242 |
| 1989 | 6 | #377 |
| 1988 | 6 | #381 |
| 1987 | 18 | #232 |
| 1986 | 14 | #263 |
| 1985 | 10 | #306 |
| 1984 | 16 | #242 |
| 1983 | 18 | #242 |
| 1982 | 25 | #211 |
| 1981 | 21 | #230 |
| 1980 | 29 | #194 |
| 1979 | 27 | #201 |
| 1978 | 27 | #204 |
| 1977 | 22 | #215 |
| 1976 | 35 | #173 |
| 1975 | 19 | #221 |
| 1974 | 35 | #179 |
| 1973 | 43 | #154 |
| 1972 | 31 | #175 |
| 1971 | 24 | #197 |
| 1970 | 41 | #141 |
| 1969 | 38 | #149 |
| 1968 | 41 | #135 |
| 1967 | 48 | #119 |
| 1966 | 32 | #147 |
| 1965 | 64 | #101 |
| 1964 | 60 | #102 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Esther mean?
Possibly "star"
Hebrew, from Ester, possibly from a Persian word for star or the name of the goddess Ishtar.
Say it right
ESSter
The story of Esther
Esther is the heroine of the Book of Esther in the Bible, a Jewish woman who becomes queen of Persia and saves her people. The book also gives her Hebrew name, Hadassah. Where the name Esther comes from is not settled. It is often linked to an old Persian word for “star”, and some scholars connect it instead with Ishtar, a goddess of Mesopotamia. Hester is an older English form of the same name.
In Ireland Esther was most popular at the start of the CSO records. It peaked in 1965 with 64 girls, at number 101. It became rarer through the 1990s, then settled at a small, steady level, and 21 girls were named Esther in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Esther (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Esther (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
EssieHettie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Esther | 21 | 1,242 |
In Northern Ireland
#259 in 2025 with 6 babies. Best rank #180 (2011); 111 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.