Ester

Updated: January 20, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

Ester is a striking biblical baby name for girls. Popular during the early 20th century, it lends a nostalgic flair to the classic name. Ester Gale is the heroine of Ester's Child by Jean Sassoon, and Ester Mast is the protagonist of Ester's Amish Healing by Mary Lantz. Keep reading to learn more about this name.

Meaning of the name Ester:

Persian: Star
Assyrian, Babylonian: Lady of heaven
Hebrew: Myrtle, hidden, concealed

Origin of the name Ester:

Ester is an alternative spelling of the name Esther. It is an ancient name with several debated origins. According to the most accepted theory of origin, Ester derives from the Old Persian words stāra or setāra (both meaning “star”). Many linguists believe that these words eventually helped produce Latin names like Stella and Estelle. Alternatively, some historians theorize that Ester is an alternative pronunciation of the goddess Ishtar. This Assyrian and Babylonian name meant “lady of heaven,” and it was a cognate of the Canaanite and Phoenician name Astarte.

Finally, Ester also has theological theories of origin. For example, Ester might represent a Persian translation of the Hebrew name Hadassah (meaning “myrtle tree”). According to the Old Testament, Hadassah was a Jewish exile who adopted the name “Esther” to conceal her heritage before wedding the king. The Hebrew root of Esther is s-t-r (meaning “hidden” or “concealed”). Furthermore, some medieval translations of the Old Testament kept the “h” in Hadassah (resulting in the variation of Hester). The alternative spelling Hester and its diminutive “Hettie” remained commonplace for centuries thereafter. In contrast, the Ester variation (without the “h”) frequently occurs in languages like Persian, Finnish, Czech, and Catalan.

Symbolism of the name Ester:

Ester is a spelling variation of Esther. In the Book of Esther, a Jewish exile marries the Persian king and uses her position to save her people from slaughter. For this reason, the symbol of Ester is the royal scepter.