Esther

Esther is a name of disputed origin, most likely derived from the Persian word for star, though some scholars connect it to the Hebrew name Hadassah, meaning myrtle. It is best known from the Hebrew Bible, where Esther is the Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus who saves her people from persecution, a story celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim. The name spread widely through Europe via Biblical tradition and has been in consistent use across English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, and Scandinavian languages for centuries. Related forms include Hester, an older English variant, and the Hebrew Hadassah.