Esther

Many evergreen classics for girls come from the ages-old Bible. Think Mary, Elizabeth, and Sarah. However, even Biblical names don't have to always be popular to count as classics. One such name is Esther. 

Esther is commonly thought to come from the Persian word for "star". However, its meaning is actually debatable. It is also thought to come from the Hebrew words for "hidden" and "myrtle". 

Either way, the name is rooted in the Bible. Originally named Hadassah, she changed her name to Esther to hide her Jewish identify upon marrying the King of Persia. However, Esther reveals her religion to the king after his advisor Haman announces his plan to kill all the Jews. Esther also pleaded the king to execute Haman. Thus, Esther saved the Jews' lives, making her a positive role model for girls.

As with many Biblical names, Esther became common among English-speakers in the sixteenth century. It was popular in England through the 1910s and in the United States from the 1880s through the mid-1930s.   The name's popularity could have been influenced by the daughter of Grover Cleveland, who served as president in the 1890s. That same decade, Esther jumped from #67 to #39. 

Esther may not be as popular as it once was, but it never left the top 400. That makes Esther is a true classic. It currently ranks among the top 200 in both England and the United States. That could change within the next decade, though, if Esther completes it revival by returning to the top 100. 

Esther has also seen recent usage in non-English countries such as France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and the Netherlands. This means that Esther is not only timeless and Biblical, but also international. 

SISTER NAME IDEAS:

Alice, Charlotte, Eve, Hannah, Judith, Lucy, Miriam, Rose, Sadie, Vivian

BROTHER NAME IDEAS:

Abram, Edwin, Henry, Julius, Levi, Micah, Otis, Reuben, Simon, Theodore

What do you think of Esther? Do you agree that it's a timeless classic?

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