Esther
Meaning: Its source is Ester, a Hebrew name meaning "The myrtle tree or star."
Though not linguistically related, Esther has been historically used as an English version of the Irish Gaelic name Aislinn.
Origin: "Ester."
Languages: This girl's name is used in German, Dutch, English and French.
Source Forms: Ester
Popularity: The name Esther ranked 305th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 132nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: The scriptural Book of Esther is set in ancient Persia. In it, a Jewish girl called Hadassah at birth is re-named Esther, possibly to hide her heritage. As she grows up, her beauty and winning ways attract the Persian king, who names her his queen. She learns of the minister Haman's intention to slaughter her people, and successfully intervenes on their behalf at great personal risk. Jews celebrate the festival of Purim in memory of her.
Some believe Esther derives from the Persian stara (star), or from the name of the Persian goddess of love, Ishtar. Others maintain that it was simply a translation of the scripturally related name Hadassah (myrtle).
The myrtle tree was sacred to Ishtar, and also to the Greek and Roman love goddesses.
Miscellaneous
- Esther
Jewish woman who became queen of Persia. She saved her people from a plot aginst them, an event celebrated by the Jewish feast of Purim.
- Her story is told in the book of Esther (see list of Biblical Names from the Old Testament)
- Esther Hobart Morris
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Esther Peterson (born 1906)
American social activist.
- Member of National Women''s Hall of Fame (see list of National Women's Hall of Fame Members)
- Esther V. Tomich
- 1978 Pillsbury Bake-Off winner (see list of Pillsbury Bake-off Winners)
Sports
- Esther Brand
South African athlete.
- 1952 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for High Jump (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the High Jump)
- Esther Ryan
- Member of the Women''s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of Women's International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
Stage and Screen
- Esther Ralston (born 1902)
American actress.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Esther Valentine
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''The Young and the Restless'''' (see list of Characters on ''The Young and the Restless'')
- Esther ''Grandma'' Walton
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Ellen Corby (see list of Characters on ''The Waltons'')
- Esther Williams (born 1923)
American actress and swimmer.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Esther Forbes (born 1891, died 1967)
American historian and novelist.
- 1944 Newbery Medal winner, for Johnny Tremain (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- 1943 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for Paul Revere and the World He Lived In (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Lester
- Fester
- Polyester
- Easter
- Es-terd
- Estee
- Easter bunny
- Estrogen
- Estrus
- Estwerp
- Esturd
- Esnerd
- Esther Seal
- Esther the Molester
Name: Esther
List:
- Esther on Google
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