Esterlene
A feminine name likely inspired by a combination of Esther and Lena.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Esterlene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Esterlene today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Esterlene births was 1938 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Esterlene. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Esterlene is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Esterlenes were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Esterlene. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1938
10 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1951 SSA rank
#5,018
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Esterlene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Esterlene from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 27 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Esterlene 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 Esterlene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Esterlene
The name Esterlene is an unusual given name with origins that are difficult to trace definitively. It appears to be a modern coinage or invented name, possibly derived from combining elements of other established names or words.
One theory suggests that Esterlene may have its roots in the Germanic languages, with potential connections to the Old English word "ēaster" meaning "east" and the Old French word "lene" meaning "bright" or "shining." This could give the name a connotation of "bright eastern" or "shining from the east." However, there is no concrete historical evidence to support this linguistic link.
Another possibility is that Esterlene is a creative combination of the names Esther and Arlene, both of which have Hebrew and French origins respectively. Esther is derived from the Persian word "stara" meaning "star," while Arlene is a French variation of the name Arline, which is thought to be derived from the Germanic name Arlin or Erlin.
Despite its uncertain etymology, a few notable individuals have borne the name Esterlene throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Esterlene Hightower (1920-1994), an American gospel singer and songwriter from Mississippi. She was known for her work with the renowned gospel quartet, The Fairfield Four.
Another Esterlene of note was Esterlene Hill (1923-2016), an African American educator and civil rights activist from Mississippi. She played a crucial role in the desegregation of public schools in her home state and was recognized for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
In the literary world, Esterlene Woodard (1931-2021) was an American author and poet from Texas. Her works often explored themes of race, identity, and the African American experience. She was a recipient of the prestigious American Book Award in 1986.
Moving into the realm of sports, Esterlene Saunders (born 1958) is a former American sprinter who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. She won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Lastly, Esterlene Robbins (born 1950) is an American businesswoman and entrepreneur from Texas. She is the founder and CEO of Robbins Nest, Inc., a successful real estate development company.
While not a widely popular name, Esterlene has left its mark on various fields throughout history, from music and literature to education and sports. Its unique sound and uncertain origins add an air of intrigue to this uncommon moniker.
People
Esterlene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Esterlene 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
Esterlene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Esterlene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Esterlene 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Esterlene a common name?
We classify Esterlene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 73 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Esterlene most popular?
The single biggest year for Esterlene was 1938, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Esterlene is about 85 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Esterlene in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Esterlene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Esterlene 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.
Is Esterlene still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Esterlene in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Esterlene can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Esterlene?
See how many people share the name Esterlene on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.