How to read the band →
Solid line = floor (spellings that unambiguously belong to the group). Shaded band up to the dashed edge = ceiling (the most it could reach if every ambiguous spelling counted here).
Esther
Esther has been climbing back after years of decline. All-time it's been given to 289,362 U.S. babies, the 338th most common name by sound today, peaking at 6,815 in 1918, with 2,411 in 2025.
By sound, Esther also includes the spellings Ester.
Rising
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, “National data” baby-names files (1880–2025).