Esra
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "helper" or "guide".
Name Census estimates that about 612 living Americans carry the first name Esra. It is a predominantly female name (95.8% of registrations). The average person named Esra today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Esra births was 2024 (61 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Esra. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
612
~ 1 in 560,056 Americans
Peak year
2024
61 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2023 SSA rank
#2,774
Tracked since 1982
Gender
Gender distribution for Esra
Esra leans heavily female at 95.8% of total registrations, but 26 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Esra as a male name
- Ranked #9,162 in 2023
- 8 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (8 births)
Esra as a female name
- Ranked #2,774 in 2024
- 61 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (61 births)
Popularity
Esra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Esra from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 234 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Esra by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Esra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Esras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Texas, New York recorded the most babies named Esra, while New York, Texas, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 17 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Esra
The name Esra has its origins in the Hebrew language and is derived from the biblical name Ezra. It first appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, where Ezra was a Jewish scribe and priest who played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
Esra is believed to be a variation of the Hebrew name Ezra, which means "helper" or "aid." This name has been in use since ancient times and has a rich historical significance, particularly in Jewish and Christian traditions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Esra can be found in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament, which details the life and works of Ezra the scribe. Ezra is known for leading a group of Jewish exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem and overseeing the reconstruction of the city and its temple.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Esra or its variations. One of the most famous was Esra Pound (1885-1972), an American poet and critic who was a major figure in the Modernist literary movement. He was known for his influential works, such as "The Cantos" and his promotion of Imagism.
Another notable figure was Esra Taft Benson (1899-1994), an American religious leader who served as the 13th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 until his death in 1994. He was also the United States Secretary of Agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In the field of science, Esra Hale (1892-1975) was an American chemist and educator who made significant contributions to the understanding of catalysis and chemical thermodynamics. He was also a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and served as the president of the American Chemical Society.
Another notable figure was Esra Edeen Chasan (1914-1997), an American artist and sculptor known for her abstract works and her contributions to the Modernist art movement. Her sculptures and installations can be found in various museums and public spaces across the United States.
Finally, Esra Bilgiç (born 1992) is a Turkish actress and model who has gained popularity for her roles in several Turkish television series, including "Ramo" and "Kuzey Yıldızı."
These individuals, spanning different eras and fields, exemplify the diverse and rich history associated with the name Esra, which has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and continues to be used around the world today.
People
Esra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Esra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Esra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Esra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 612 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Esra going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 560,056 US residents.
Is Esra a common name?
We classify Esra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 621 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Esra most popular?
The single biggest year for Esra was 2024, when 61 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Esra is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Esra a female name?
Yes, 95.8% of people registered as Esra in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.