hester

Hester is a given name that can also function as a surname. In English, it is commonly seen as an archaic or regional variant of the name Esther, which has Hebrew origins and has been in use since the Early Modern period.

As a given name, Hester was more common in the 18th and 19th centuries in English-speaking countries, and while less common today, it persists in literature and family names. The spelling Hester is sometimes used to evoke a traditional or literary tone.

Notable references include Hester Prynne, the central character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter (1850). In contemporary public life, Hester Peirce is an American attorney and commissioner who has served on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

As a surname, Hester appears in English and American genealogy as a patronymic form derived from the given name or as an independent family name. Related given names include Esther, from which Hester is ultimately descended in many cases.