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Re: Esther or Estelle?
Technically I like Esther more. But if I had to pick a name for a real life offspring, I'd go with Estelle. I don't think any kid of mine would appreciate being an Esther. Estelle is easier to wear.

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QuoteI don't think any kid of mine would appreciate being an Esther.
I've always liked the name Esther - I think Meet Me in St. Louis played a huge part in this (I will always adore Judy Garland, her voice was a staple in my childhood) - but your statement here reminded me of when my mom and I went to Disney World for the first time with one of her friends and her young kids. (I was in high school by this point, but I'd never been there before.) One of the workers taking tickets one of the parks - I think Epcot Center - had "Esther" on her nametag, and I compulsively commented that I loved her name.She looked like I'd made her whole day, honestly. She thanked me - with a total Noo Yawk accent - and described (I'm going off of memory), "I never get people telling me they like my name! It's always 'That's my aunt's name' or 'That's my grandma's name' or, just yesterday, I got 'Oh, I just named my cat Esther!'" (That one came with a dramatic eyeroll, which still makes me laugh when I think about it.)So... yeah. Esther's two biggest fan groups are probably religious Jews (I'm guessing Orthodox Jews in particular) and name nerds, with some overlap. :-) It seems like most other people think of Esther as a dated, kooky name.
That's so sweetttttttt!! thank you for making someones day and helping me! I never know that Esther the name have any connection with religious jews, thanks a lot for filling that gap for me!
I'm so glad you made an Esther's day! I should tell more people I love their names, it really does seem to make people happy. It's a unique compliment!
y tho, is it a bit too religious or dated?
Definitely, compared to Estelle, Esther is very religious I'd say!I don't know if I'd call Esther dated... Esther is like Agatha or Agnes, not tied to one era in particular yet possessing a strong "old fashioned" sensibility.
Thank you for filling my knowledge gap on religious perspective! Will Estelle be considered dated then?
Hard to say how most people would view Estelle, but for me personally Estelle has passed the "dated" threshold. Estelle is evocative of the 1930s, which is now so long ago that it's vintage rather than dated. And judging by the charts, Estelle's star (lol) is rising again! Older people might think Estelle is dated, but I don't think the peers of an Estelle born today would think so.