Ester
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group of that acid is replaced by an organyl group. These compounds contain a distinctive functional group. Analogues derived from oxygen replaced by other chalcogens belong to the ester category as well.
Meaning & Origin of Ester
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group of that acid is replaced by an organyl group. These compounds contain a distinctive functional group. Analogues derived from oxygen replaced by other chalcogens belong to the ester category as well.
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Etymology
The Story of Ester
As a girl name
Ester first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1881, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1925, when 281 Esters were born — ranking #410 that year. As of 2026, Ester ranks #1,436 for girls with 153 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 16K Esters have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ester first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1888, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1914, when 31 Esters were born — ranking #1,003 that year. As of 2026, Ester ranks #5,787 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 891 Esters have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ester
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ester is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ester
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About the name Ester
Ester is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 16K births in the dataset. Ester's peak popularity came in 1925 when it ranked #367. Use the chart and map above to compare Ester's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1925 →
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Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.