Hester is both a female

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

and a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

. As a given name Hester is a variant of

Esther Esther is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther. In the Achaemenid Empire, the Persian king Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, is deposed for disobeying him. Hadassah, a Jewess who goes by the name of Esther, is chosen ...

. As a surname it is of Germanic origin and uncertain meaning, possible roots being the Middle High German ''heister'' beech tree indicating residence near a beech tree, or a shared root with the modern German ''heißen'' to call indicating the profession of herald or town crier. In Ireland, particularly County Mayo, the surname Hester is found as an Anglicized form of the Gaelic ''Ó hOistir'' descendant of Oistir.

Given name

Hester Adrian, Baroness Adrian Hester Agnes Adrian, Baroness Adrian, ( Pinsent; 16 September 1899 – 20 May 1966) was a British mental health worker. Early life Hester Agnes Pinsent was born in 1899, in Harborne, Birmingham, Staffordshire, the only daughter of Hume Chancell ...

(1899—1966), British mental health worker *

Hester Bateman Hester Bateman (bap. 1708 – 16 September 1794) was an English silversmith, renowned for her high quality flatware and ornamental silverware. A craftswoman working within the family business, she was succeeded in turn by her sons, daughter-in-law ...

(bap. 1708–1794), English silversmith *

Hester A. Benedict Hester A. Benedict (, Baldwin; after first marriage, Benedict; after second marriage, Dickinson; October 2, 1838 – December 28, 1921) was an American poet and writer. She had a literary reputation in the East before her removal to California whe ...

(1838-1921), American poet and writer *

Hester Biddle Hester (or Esther) Biddle (c. 1629–1697) was an English Quaker writer and itinerant preacher who "addressed pugnacious pamphlets to those who persecuted religious dissenters, worshipped in the Anglican church, or refused to help the poor."Alan ...

(c. 1629–97), English Quaker writer *

Hester Chapone Hester Chapone ''née'' Mulso (27 October 1727, Twywell, Northamptonshire – 25 December 1801, Hadwell, Middlesex), was an English writer of conduct books for women. She became associated with the London Bluestockings. Life Hester, the daug ...

(1727–1801), British author *

Hester A. Davis Hester A. Davis (1930-2014) was an American archaeologist. Arkansas' first State Archaeologist, she was instrumental in creating national public policy and conservancy standards for cultural preservation as well as developing professional and eth ...

(1930–2014), American archaeologist *

Hester Dowden Hester Dowden (1868–1949), also known as Hester Travers Smith, was an Irish spiritualist medium who is most notable for having claimed to contact the spirits of Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare and other writers. Dowden's writings were publis ...

(1868–1949), Irish spiritualist medium *

Hester Dunn Hester Rogers (born 1940) is a Northern Irish former loyalist activist and writer who was a member of the Ulster Defence Association's (UDA) political wing during the period of religious-political conflict known as the Troubles. She headed the UDA' ...

(b. 1940), Northern Irish former loyalist activist and writer *

Hester Maria Elphinstone, Viscountess Keith Hester Maria Elphinstone, Viscountess Keith, born Hester Maria Thrale (17 September 1764 – 31 March 1857), was a British literary correspondent and intellectual. She was the eldest child of Hester Thrale, diarist, author and confidante of Sam ...

(1764-1857), British literary correspondent and intellectual *

Hester Goodsell Hester Goodsell (born 27 June 1984) is a British rower and music teacher. Rowing career Goodsell rowed in the Women's Lightweight Double Sculls at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She was part of the British squad that topped the medal table at th ...

(born 1984), British rower *

Hester Grenville, 1st Countess Temple Hester Grenville, 1st Countess Temple, 2nd Viscountess Cobham (''née'' Temple; –1752) was an English noblewoman. She was the mother and grandmother of the Prime Ministers George Grenville and William Grenville. Life and family She was t ...

(c. 1690–1752), English noblewoman *

Hester Jane Haskins Hester Jane Haskins or Jane the Grabber ( fl. 1860–1875) was an American madam, procuress, and underworld figure in New York City during the 1860s and 1870s. The main rival of Red Light Lizzie, she owned and operated several "houses of ill f ...

(fl. 1860–75), American madam, procuress, and underworld figure *

Hester Kaplan Hester Margaret Kaplan is an American short story writer, and novelist. Life Kaplan was born to a Jewish family, the daughter of novelist Anne (née Bernays) and author Justin Kaplan. Her maternal grandparents were Doris Fleischman and Edward ...

, American author *

Hester Maclean Hester Maclean (25 February 1859 – 2 September 1932) was an Australian-born nurse, hospital matron, nursing administrator, editor and writer who spent most of her career in New Zealand. She served in World War I as the founding Matron-in-Ch ...

(1859–1932), New Zealand nurse, editor and writer *

Maria Hester Park Maria Hester Park (née Reynolds) (29 September 1760 – 7 June 1813) was a British composer, pianist, and singer. She was also a noted piano teacher who taught many students in the nobility, including the Duchess of Devonshire and her daughter ...

(1760–1813), British composer, pianist, and singer *

Hester Pitt, Countess of Chatham Hester Pitt, Countess of Chatham (; 8 November 1720 – 9 April 1803) was the wife of William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham, who was prime minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. The sister of George Grenville, who was prime minist ...

(1720–1803), wife of William Pitt (the Elder), 1st Earl of Chatham, who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768 *

Lady Hester Pulter Lady Hester Pulter (née Ley) (1605–1678) was a seventeenth-century poet and writer, whose manuscript was rediscovered in 1996 in the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds. Her major works include "Poems Breathed Forth By the Noble Hadassas" ...

(b. 1605), British writer * Catherine Hester Ralfe (c. 1831–1912), New Zealand dressmaker, teacher, storekeeper, housekeeper and diarist * Hester Dorsey Richardson (1862-1933), American author *

Hester Santlow Hester Santlow (married name Hester Booth; c. 1690 – 1773) was a noted British dancer and actress, who has been called "England's first ballerina". She was influential in many spheres of theatrical life. Life Hester Santlow was born circa 16 ...

(c. 1690–1773), British dancer and actress *

Lady Hester Stanhope Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope (12 March 1776 – 23 June 1839) was a British aristocrat, adventurer, antiquarian, and one of the most famous travellers of her age. Her archaeological excavation of Ashkelon in 1815 is considered the first to ...

(1776–1839), British socialite, adventurer and traveler *

Hester Thrale Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi (née Salusbury; later Piozzi; 27 January 1741 or 16 January 1740 – 2 May 1821),Contemporary records, which used the Julian calendar and the Annunciation Style of enumerating years, recorded her birth as 16 January ...

(1741–1821), British diarist, author, and patron of the arts *

Hester van Eeghen Hester van Eeghen (11 November 1958 – 8 April 2021) was a Dutch designer of leather bags, wallets and accessories. Life Hester van Eeghen was born in Amsterdam, the youngest of five children. Her family has been involved in the arts in The Net ...

(1958–2021), Dutch designer *

Hester Wagstaff Hester is both a female given name and a surname. As a given name Hester is a variant of Esther. As a surname it is of Germanic origin and uncertain meaning, possible roots being the Middle High German ''heister'' beech tree indicating residence ne ...

(b. 1892), British jewellery designer, potter and illustrator

Surname

Bart Hester Bart Franklin Hester (born December 9, 1977) is an American politician serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate from the 1st district. Elected in November 2012, he assumed office on January 14, 2013. Early life and education A native of Conwa ...

(b. 1977), American politician *

Benny Hester Benny Ray Hester (born May 3, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and recording artist. He is perhaps best known for his songs "When God Ran" and "Nobody Knows Me Like You", and for producing the groundbreaking tween/teen music-dr ...

(b. 1948), American music artist and songwriter *

Betty Hester Hazel Elizabeth Hester (June 1, 1923 – December 26, 1998) was an American correspondent of influential twentieth-century writers, including Flannery O'Connor and Iris Murdoch. Hester wrote several short stories, poems, diaries, and philosophical ...

(1923-1998), American correspondent *

Carolyn Hester Carolyn Sue Hester (born January 28, 1937) is an American folk singer and songwriter. She was a figure in the early 1960s folk music revival. Biography Hester's first album was produced by Norman Petty in 1957. She made her second album for Tr ...

(b. 1937), American folk singer and songwriter *

Dave Hester ''Storage Wars'' (stylized as ''STORAGE WAR$'') is an American reality television competition series that airs on A&E. It initially aired for 12 seasons, from December 1, 2010, to January 30, 2019. A 13th season premiered in April 2021. When ...

, star of A&E TV's ''Storage Wars'' *

Devin Hester Devin Devorris Hester Sr. (born November 4, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest return specialist i ...

(b. 1982), American football player *

Drew Hester Drew Hester (born August 26, 1969) is a drummer, percussionist, and record producer, winning two Grammy Awards with Foo Fighters. He has played drums with Joe Walsh (1999—2016) on drums, Stevie Nicks (2017–present) on drums, Beck (2014) on dr ...

(b. 1969), American percussionist and record producer *

Eric Hester Eric John Michael Hester (born January 9, 1974) is an American composer. Early life and family Eric Hester was born on January 9, 1974, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1979, he moved with his family to Newport Beach, California. In 1988, he moved to ...

(b. 1974), American composer * Hugh B. Hester (1895-1983), American army officer * Jack W. Hester (1929-1999), American politician *

Jacob Hester Jacob Troy Hester (born May 8, 1985) is a former American football fullback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college ...

(b. 1985), American football player *

James McNaughton Hester James McNaughton Hester (19 April 1924 – 31 December 2014) was an internationally recognized educator. Hester was born in Chester, Pennsylvania. He spent his boyhood at various stations to which his father, a United States Navy Chaplain, was ...

(1924-2014), American educator *

Jessie Hester Jessie Lee Hester (born January 21, 1963) is a former professional American football wide receiver who played 11 years in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Los Angele ...

(b. 1963), American football player *

Joan Hester Joan L. Hester (née Goshorn; November 20, 1932 – November 19, 2019) was an American politician in the state of Iowa. Hester was born in Persia, Iowa. She was married to Jack W. Hester, who served in the Iowa State Senate. A Republican, she serv ...

(b. 1932), American politician *

John Hester John Graves Hester (born September 14, 1983) is a former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. On August 28, 2009, on his major league debut, he ...

(b. 1983), American baseball player *

Joy Hester Joy St Clair Hester (21 August 1920 – 4 December 1960) was an Australian artist. She was a member of the Angry Penguins movement and the Heide Circle who played an integral role in the development of Australian Modernism. Hester is best known ...

(1920-1960), Australian artist *

Laurel Hester Laurel Anne Hester (August 15, 1956 – February 18, 2006) was a police lieutenant with the Ocean County, New Jersey Prosecutor's Office, who came to national attention with her deathbed appeal for the extension of pension benefits to her domestic ...

(1956–2006), American police officer and advocate of rights of domestic partners *

Leigh Ann Hester Leigh Ann Hester (born January 12, 1982) is a United States Army National Guard soldier. While assigned to the 617th Military Police Company, a Kentucky Army National Guard unit out of Richmond, Kentucky, Hester received the Silver Star for h ...

(b. 1982), American soldier and Silver Star recipient *

Lex Hester Lewis Alexander Hester, III (December 24, 1935 – October 7, 2000) was a public administrator in Jacksonville, Florida. He "was the consummate no-nonsense administrator, the very best in his field," according to M. C. Harden III, past chairman of ...

(1935–2000), American public administrator *

Marc Hester Marc Hester Hansen (born 28 June 1985) is a Denmark, Danish professional bicycle racer. Hester rode for Firefighters Upsala CK for the 2014 season. In December 2014 Hester was announced as part of the inaugural squad for the ONE Pro Cycling team ...

(b. 1985), Danish professional bicycle racer *

Michael Hester Michael Hester (born 2 May 1972), is a former New Zealand association football referee in the A-League. Holder of a FIFA international licence, he has participated at the highest level, officiating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Biography Heste ...

(b. 1972), Australian-born New Zealand association football referee *

Paul Hester Paul Newell Hester (8 January 1959 – 26 March 2005) was an Australian musician and television personality. He was the drummer for the band Split Enz for a short time in 1984, and co-founding member and drummer of the rock group Crowded House ...

(1959–2005), Australian musician *

Paul V. Hester General Paul V. Hester (born October 21, 1947) is a retired United States Air Force officer. He served as Commander, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Component Commander for the Commander, United States Pacific Command from July 2004 to November 2007. ...

(b. 1947), American Air Force officer *

Phil Hester (comics) Phil Hester (born 1966) is an American comic book artist, penciller and writer. Early life Phil Hester is an alumnus of the University of Iowa. He is originally from North English, Iowa. Career Hester's pencilling credits include ''Swamp Thing, ...

(b. 1966), comic book artist and writer * Phillip Doyce Hester (b. 1955), former chief technology officer of Advanced Micro Devices * Randolph T. Hester American professor, sociologist, and landscape architect *

Ray Hester Ray Hester (March 31, 1949 – May 15, 1977) was a professional American football player who played linebacker for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1973, and The Hawaiians of the WFL in 1974. He was diagnosed with leukemia Leukemia ( als ...

(1949–1977), American football player *

Rita Hester The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually (from its inception) on November 20 as a day to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transp ...

(d. 1998), transgender African American murder victim * Sandra Hester, American activist and former television host *

Stephen Hester Stephen A. M. Hester (born 14 December 1960) is an international businessman and former banker. He is Chairman of Nordea Bank and easyJet and former chief executive officer (CEO) of RSA Insurance Group, of RBS Group and of British Land. Early ...

(b. 1960),

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

RSA Insurance Group RSA Insurance Group Limited (doing business as, trading as RSA, formerly RSA Insurance Group plc and Royal and Sun Alliance) is a British Multinational corporation, multinational general insurance company headquartered in London, England. RSA has ...

Treyvon Hester Treyvon Ramal Hester (born September 21, 1992) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Toledo, and was selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. Profession ...

(b. 1992), American football player * Wallace Hester (1866-1942), British

caricaturist A caricaturist is an artist who specializes in drawing caricatures. List of caricaturists * Abed Abdi (born 1942) * Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) * Alex Gard (1900–1948) * Alexander Saroukhan (1898–1977) * Alfred Grévin (1827–1892) * Alf ...

for '' Vanity Fair'' *

William Hester William Ewing Hester Jr. (May 7, 1912 – February 8, 1993), also known as Slew Hester, was an American tennis player and official. He was president of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) from 1977 to 1978, and the first USTA president fro ...

, also known as Slew Hester (1912-1993), American tennis official

Fictional characters

Hester Latterly Hester Latterly is a main character of Anne Perry's ''Monk'' detective series. She is a nurse by trade who served with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea. Upon her return home in 1856 she finds her family in a shambles and meets William Monk who is ...

, main character of

Anne Perry Anne Perry (born Juliet Marion Hulme; 28 October 1938) was convicted of murder in New Zealand when a teenager, later moved to England and became an author. In 1954, at the age of fifteen, she and her 16-year-old friend Pauline Parker were tried ...

's ''Monk'' detective series *

Hester Prynne Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel ''The Scarlet Letter''. She is portrayed as a woman condemned by her Puritan neighbors. The character has been called "among the first and most important female protagonists in ...

, main character of

Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...

's ''

The Scarlet Letter ''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a work of historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym ...

'' * '' The Character and Death of Mrs. Hester Ann Rogers'', a 1794 Methodist tract *

Hester Shaw Hester Shaw, later known as Hester Natsworthy, is the lead heroine of Philip Reeve's ''Mortal Engines Quartet''. Background and life Hester Shaw, aged around fifteen at the beginning of the Quartet, is the daughter of Thaddeus Valentine and Pa ...

, a character from

Philip Reeve Philip Reeve (born 28 February 1966) is a British author and illustrator of children's books, primarily known for the 2001 book ''Mortal Engines'' and its sequels (the 2001 to 2006 ''Mortal Engines Quartet''). His 2007 novel, ''Here Lies Arthur ...

's ''

Mortal Engines Quartet The ''Mortal Engines Quartet'' (''Hungry City Chronicles'' in the United States), also known as the ''Predator Cities Quartet'', is a series of epic young adult fantasy novels by the British novelist and illustrator Philip Reeve. He began t ...

'' * Hester Ulrich, a character from the 2015 American horror

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

, '' Scream Queens.'' *

Hester Crane The main character of the American television sitcom ''Frasier'' is Frasier Crane. Other regular characters include: his father Martin, brother Niles, producer Roz Doyle, and his live-in caregiver Daphne Moon. Other minor characters made regular ...

, mother of

Frasier Crane Dr. Frasier Winslow Crane (born ) is a fictional character who is both a supporting character on the American television sitcom ''Cheers'' and the titular protagonist of its spin-off ''Frasier'', portrayed by Kelsey Grammer. The character debu ...

of Cheers and Frasier television shows. * Hester, the daemon companion of Lee Scoresby in

Philip Pullman Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy ''His Dark Materials'' and ''The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'', a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, ''The ...

His Dark Materials ''His Dark Materials'' is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman consisting of '' Northern Lights'' (1995; published as ''The Golden Compass'' in North America), ''The Subtle Knife'' (1997), and ''The Amber Spyglass'' (2000). It follows ...

series. * Hester Sherwood, one of the four characters from the Australian 2002 play ''Wicked Sisters'' by

Alma De Groen Alma De Groen is an Australian feminist playwright, born in New Zealand on 5 September 1941. Biography Alma Margaret Mathers, born in Manawatu, grew up in Mangakino, a small township founded to serve a hydro-electric power station in the North I ...

. * Hester, the daughter of the witch from Hansel and Gretel in School for Good and Evil

Given name

Surname

Fictional characters

See also