Esther

The origins of the name Esther are not entirely clear; while most sources say it comes from an old Persian word for "star," others say that it's derived from the name of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. In any case, it's an old-fashioned name that's coming back in vogue. At the height of its popularity in the early 1900s, it was at #33 out of the top 1000 names on the U.S. Social Security Administration's baby name popularity database — given a boost when then-President Grover Cleveland gave the name to his daughter in 1893.

Esther is a prominent figure in the Old Testament, which makes it a strong biblical name. In the Bible, Esther was the Jewish wife of the Persian king, and risked her own life to save her people from an antisemitic royal advisor. The Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates Queen Esther's story, so the name is particularly popular for girls born around the time of Purim.

Besides the biblical Esther, there are plenty of famous women with this name. Jazz singer Esther Jones, also known as "Baby Esther," was the inspiration behind Betty Boop. And if you've ever heard of the advice columnist Ann Landers, well, her name was not actually Ann — it was Esther Lederer, and she went by the nickname "Eppie."

Speaking of nicknames, if Esther sounds a little too buttoned-up, it's got a wealth of diminutive options: Essie, Estee or Esti (which is the name of John Legend & Chrissy Teigen's newest baby!), and Etta, just to name a few.

Esther in quotes:

"Esther, you are a queen. You have the power to save your people." — Mordecai, in 'The Book of Esther' (1999)