Esther

Esther is a name of debated origin, most likely derived from the Old Persian word stara, meaning star, though some scholars connect it to the Babylonian goddess name Ishtar or to the Hebrew word seter, meaning hidden or concealed. The name is best known through the Hebrew Bible, where Esther is the Jewish queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus who saves her people from destruction, a story celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim. This biblical association gave the name widespread use among Jewish communities and later among Christians following the Protestant Reformation. Related forms include Ester, Eszter, and Hester, the last of which was the dominant English variant during the medieval and early modern periods.