Total births
16,265
Unisex name · since 1881
Ester
Since 1881, U.S. Social Security records show 16,265 babies named Ester, peaking in 1925. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1512
- among girls today
- 16,265
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Ester currently ranks #1512 among unisex names in America, with 16,265 babies recorded since 1881.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Ester has been recorded 16,265 times among girls since 1881, currently ranked #1512 nationally and more common than 91% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #1512 among girls today
- 16,265 born since 1881
- 1920s peak decade
- 91% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Ester is currently the #1512 unisex name in America, more common than 91% of girls - 16,265 born since 1881, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1512
- among girls today
- 16,265
- born since 1881
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other girls
Ester vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#1512
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 91% of names given to girls today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Ester was born in this single decade.
1925
Single peak year
281 babies were named Ester in 1925 - its busiest year on record.
How Ester compares
16,265 Top 7% higher than 93% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Ester's all-time total is 43x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Ester | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 16,265 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 281 | 48 | 19,840 |
Ester's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Ester splits its recorded history at 1953: 46% of all births land in the more recent half, 54% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1881 (6 births) -- compare that against the 1925 peak of 281 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Ester at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1925
Current rank
#1,512
Active since
1881
Ester popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (1925)
- 281
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Ester popularity over time - boys
891 total births recorded since 1888 (Ester as boys' name)
Ester by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Ester's strongest decade.
2,373 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Ester births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 115
1880s
115 births
- 1890s 387
1890s
387 births
- 1900s 622
1900s
622 births
- 1910s
1910s
1,573 births
- 1920s
1920s
2,373 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,577 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,582 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,584 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,184 births
- 1970s 746
1970s
746 births
- 1980s 727
1980s
727 births
- 1990s 754
1990s
754 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,009 births
- 2010s
2010s
1,190 births
- 2020s 842
2020s
842 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 2,373 births (15% of all-time use).
How Ester compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Ester's total volume
Ester vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Ester by state
Where Ester concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 3,622 | 22.3% |
| #2 | California | | 1,111 | 6.8% |
| #3 | New York | | 987 | 6.1% |
| #4 | Mississippi | | 667 | 4.1% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 574 | 3.5% |
| #6 | Alabama | | 557 | 3.4% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 411 | 2.5% |
| #8 | Arkansas | | 386 | 2.4% |
Texas share of Ester's total US births 22.3%
Even split
3,622 of 16,265 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 35 reporting states.
Ester appears in 35 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Ester? ▼
Ester has been given to 16,265 babies in the U.S. since 1881, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #1512 as of the latest data. 281 babies were born in 1925, its single highest year.
When was Ester most popular? ▼
Ester was most popular in the 1920s decade with 2,373 total births. The single peak year was 1925.
Where is Ester most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Ester are Texas (3,622 births), California (1,111 births), New York (987 births).
Is Ester a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Ester is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 16,265 births, and as a boy's name it has 891 births.
How long has the name Ester been used? ▼
Records for Ester go back to 1881, giving 145 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Ester? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Esther, Estelle, Estella, Estrella, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Ester's data
- Ester's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (2,373 total births) through the 2020s (842) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Esters (3,622 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Ester
Nearby Names Like Ester
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Ester
Esther Girl
#130 271,234 births
Estelle Girl
#641 56,410 births
Estella Girl
#502 42,920 births
Estrella Girl
#620 16,799 births
Estela Girl
#1758 9,147 births
Compare Ester side by side: Ester vs Esther Ester vs Estelle Ester vs Estella
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Ester
Calla #1511
4,408 births · Peak 2017
Mari #1513
16,579 births · Peak 1957
Eleanore #1510
18,724 births · Peak 1921
Alannah #1514
7,392 births · Peak 2015
Delia #1509
37,318 births · Peak 1957
Kyndall #1515
6,428 births · Peak 2011
Emmalynn #1508
4,780 births · Peak 2015
Mylee #1516
4,420 births · Peak 2008
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Ester: #1512 Unisex Name - 16,265 Births, Peak 1925." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/ester. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Ester draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.