Quick answer
Esther is a girl name with Hebrew roots meaning "star".
Pronunciation: American English /ˈɛs.təɹ/; British English /ˈɛs.tə/; French /ɛs.tɛʁ/; Spanish /es.ˈteɾ/; Dutch /ˈɛs.tər/; German /ˈɛs.tɐ/.
Meaning and history
This name comes from the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah. This name has been used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation, sometimes in the alternative Latin form Hester. In America it received a boost in popularity after the birth of Esther Cleveland (1893-1980), the daughter of President Grover Cleveland.
Notes and context
Usage: english, french, spanish, dutch, german, danish, norwegian, swedish, jewish, biblical, biblical latin, biblical greek | Hebrew: אֶסְתֵר; Ancient Greek: Ἐσθήρ