Esther
Esther comes from the Persian "stareh," meaning star. In the Hebrew Bible, Esther (born Hadassah) was a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia and saved her people from genocide — the story told in the Book of Esther. The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates this rescue. Esther is one of only two books of the Bible named after a woman. Esther was a top-50 American name from 1880 to 1925, peaking at #27 in 1900. The name declined mid-century but never fell out of the top 1000. It has been climbing again — re-entering the top 200 in 2018. Esther Williams (1921-2013), the swimmer and actress known for her "aqua-musicals" of the 1940s and 50s, was the most visible 20th-century bearer. I find Esther has a slightly old-fashioned, slightly biblical quality — the "th" in the middle gives it an archaic texture, and the "er" ending is unusual in English female names. The star meaning is lovely, and the queen who saved her people is one of the great heroines of the Bible. The name is climbing again as the vintage and biblical-name trends converge. Esther is a female name of Persian / Hebrew origin that means "Star (from Persian "stareh")". Biblical, vintage, and quietly heroic. The name sounds serious. Esthers tend to be principled. US top 200 since 2018. Rising. Well-known people named Esther include Queen Esther (biblical), Esther Williams (actress), Esther Rolle (actress), Esther (biblical queen). Common variations and related forms of Esther include Ester (Spanish/Portuguese), Estelle (French related), Estée (modern, as in Lauder), Hester (older English form).