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Like both, prefer Ester spelling. In order, it would be- Ester, Hester, Esther. Though Hester might be unusable, because of The Scarlet Letter. I think it was CruelPumps who had a combo of Hester Olive on their list? That's gorgeous. Personally, I'm feeling a bit vintage today, so I think I'd go for Ester Adelind. Or if I had to use one as a middle name, then Violet Hester, because I also want flowers right now.

I love both, but I prefer Hester because I think it looks better and I like that it starts with H. If we have another daughter, her name will be Hester Olive.

I definitely prefer Esther over Hester. The "h" at the beginning of Hester makes it sound like the speaker is huffing and dominates the rest of the sounds. Esther just flows better to me and sounds more musical.

They're both okay names. You can use either one.

Much prefer Esther. Hester is a little too Scarlet Letter for me, and has an uglier look. Esther is a little lispy, but looks lovely. And Tess makes a good nickname.

Not a fan of Hester, but I love the name Esther. I have a niece called Esther who will be 7 next month. If the name wasn't used already it would definitely be on my list.

I adore Hester! It's easily one of my favorite names -- her witchy sibilance makes me swoon.

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Esther is also lovely.

Dislike both very much. Both names make me think of grouchy old women, especially Hester.

Weird, I was thinking about the name Hester just yesterday. There was a girl in my yeargroup with the name.
I don't really like either of them, but I don't think I could tell you why.

I think they're both hideous. Esther is slightly better.

I love Esther, though I'm probably a bit biased as it's my sister's name. :)

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Hester isn't quite as pretty or nearly as regal/elegant, but it's got a very nice "old woman who lives in the woods" feel to it.

I love them both. Usually I like Hester the most, but today I'm not sure. I like Hester because it's a bit more unheard of and I really like the nickname Hettie, but I like the more immediate Biblical connection that Esther has. They're both beautiful names that I really have no qualms against.

Not the biggest fan of both, because I usually don't like religious names. And Esther has quite a church background to me.
It has a nice and classy sound to it though, so I like it as a middle name.

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Hester needs some time on me to get used to it. I like it though. I like Latin names. It looks interesting, but still not like one of those fashion names or so.
It just probably doesn't sound as milde and noble as Esther.
This one I could maybe accept as a first name, too...
It really depends on the middle name choice.

This message was edited 7/17/2015, 12:11 PM

For some reason I think of them as completely different names when they really aren't! This is going to sound silly but I didn't even make the connection that they were related until just now, haha. I muchhhh prefer Hester, but that might just be because Hester has not been as historically popular in the U.S. and therefore associated as a quintessential Old Lady Name. That normally wouldn't turn me off, but I can't really get on board with Esther.

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Basically, Hester has an evenness about it that Esther does not have IMO. It looks cleaner and has cooler literary associations. It's kind of fun but also kind of ugly. Fungly.

I hate them both, they're ugly.
Hester is the uglier.
Esther is baggagey in a way similar to Magdalene or Moses, and there's just something so prissy and shut-down about it, for me.

I love Esther, but not Hester. Also, with Esther you can get the nn Essie, and with Hester it would be... Hessie? No...

I'd never use it myself, but Esther is cute. It's old-fashioned but at the same time is easy for me to picture on a young person, and it's got a bit of vivaciousness that a lot of those now-popular old-lady names like Eleanor and Violet lack.

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I don't like Hester at all. The h beginning somehow makes it unpleasant, puts me in mind of a heavy smoker perpetually out of breath and huffing when they talk. Hester sounds not only old but mean and hateful besides.

Hate both, hate Hester a little more. If there have ever been two names that deserve the descriptive "fugly", these are them.

I really know Esther but can't stand Hester. It seems crazy that a single sound would change the name so much, but it really does! Hester sounds old and grumpy and ugly.

I love both of them in different ways. I see Esther as more delicate and pretty, but Hester as more daring while still elegant in a more plaintive, reserved way.