Hester
From the Latin form of Esther.
Every Hester since 1880 — 14,764 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Hester
Hester is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #15,770 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 14,764 American babies have been named Hester. Its peak came in 1918, when 407 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Hester stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Hester year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #15,770 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 5 | #16,080 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 7 | #12,957 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | 5 | #18,002 | — | — |
| 2009 | 5 | #18,340 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 5 | #17,083 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 5 | #15,940 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,090 | — | — |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,158 | — | — |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,586 | — | — |
| 1975 | 21 | #3,319 | — | — |
| 1970 | 32 | #2,369 | 5 | #5,021 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,865 | — | — |
| 1960 | 47 | #1,646 | — | — |
| 1955 | 80 | #1,115 | 6 | #3,672 |
| 1950 | 101 | #886 | 5 | #3,910 |
| 1945 | 100 | #752 | 7 | #2,855 |
| 1940 | 132 | #609 | 13 | #2,028 |
| 1935 | 134 | #552 | 5 | #3,895 |
| 1930 | 214 | #459 | 12 | #2,362 |
| 1925 | 325 | #378 | 21 | #1,709 |
| 1920 | 362 | #346 | 18 | #1,922 |
| 1915 | 359 | #310 | 21 | #1,528 |
| 1910 | 212 | #264 | 9 | #1,153 |
| 1905 | 160 | #260 | — | — |
| 1900 | 183 | #234 | 9 | #937 |
| 1895 | 164 | #212 | — | — |
| 1890 | 119 | #225 | — | — |
| 1885 | 85 | #213 | — | — |
| 1880 | 49 | #219 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Hester mean?
From the Latin form of Esther.
How popular is the name Hester in 2025?
Hester ranked #15,770 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Hester?
14,764 babies have been named Hester in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Hester most popular?
Hester peaked in 1918, when 407 newborns received the name.
Is Hester a boy or girl name?
Hester is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Hester rising or falling?
Hester is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.