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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Hester?

53 replies

PastaLaVistaBBY · 25/05/2021 03:17

I like traditional / old fashioned names - but is Hester going too far? I’ve always thought it was beautiful!

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rirette · 25/05/2021 10:20

Hester is great! Very The Scarlet Letter. It's old fashioned, graceful and beautiful.

Well... that's what I think. My husband felt it sounded a bit masculine and harsh. We didn't go for it in the end Sad

AppleDumplin · 25/05/2021 10:15

I really don't like Hester! Sounds old and frumpy to me- plus I get the 'uncle fester' vibes a PP got too!

Lettuce- absolutely dreadful 🥬
Hero- also really dislike this, too much for a little kid to live up to!

Absolutely love Honor though. And Esther is nice too.

CaffiSaliMali · 25/05/2021 10:01

I like Hester, reminds me of Hester from His Dark Materials and Hester from I, Coriander.

Newmum110 · 25/05/2021 09:40

I've never heard of Hester hearing it for the first time here I thought it was a boys name but that's probably more of a reflection on me!!!!! Love love love Honor

JemimaJoy · 25/05/2021 09:23

Like Hester but prefer Esther and LOVE Honor, would definitely use it.

reprehensibleme · 25/05/2021 09:22

I like Hester very much - it's a strong name, Lady Hester Stanhope springs to mind. Nice change from all the cutsie ie names.

Jocasta2018 · 25/05/2021 09:21

I've met a couple of women named Hester during my life.
I was born in the early 1970s & they were the same age as me.
They are both brilliant women, intelligent, caring, supportive & loyal.
I wouldn't hesitate to use it!

(I'm 49 & post-menopausal so this isn't likely to happen to me but I hope you get the gist!)

TomRipley · 25/05/2021 09:17

Hester Moffet! A name from silence of the lambs...
Reminds me of that so it's a no from me.

Bancha · 25/05/2021 09:07

For some reason I thought Hester was a boys’ name, but it seems like you’re thinking of it for a girl. I don’t like it, personally. Esther is lovely though.

Scarby9 · 25/05/2021 09:04

I love it.
I know one too - the printmaker Hester Cox. So my associations with the name are great. She is both very talented and a lovely person.

ChelseaCat · 25/05/2021 09:01

I like Hester but LOVE Honor

PinkPlantCase · 25/05/2021 09:01

In my mind Hester is 100% a name for a pet, not a person.

So great if you’re considering getting a rabbit, less so for a baby.

Tal45 · 25/05/2021 08:59

I don't like Hester at all but think Honor is lovely, makes me think of Honor Blackman.

Airplanes · 25/05/2021 08:41

It was on my list for DD. I love it

Horehound · 25/05/2021 08:39

Hester kind of makes me think of some hairy thing....don't know why! It's like the name of a character you'd find in The Addams Family.

elfran · 25/05/2021 08:34

I love Hester, it was on our list for DD and I'm keeping it in the back pocket in case we have another! It's definitely a marmite name but that's a plus in my book (we ended up using an equally divisive name, had I posted about it I'd also have got the "she won't thank you for it" comments for sure).

AnyaMoondial · 25/05/2021 08:16

I really like Hester.

Original poster
PastaLaVistaBBY · 25/05/2021 04:31

I like Esther too, but it was the name of a beloved family pet so it has too many associations for me now!

OP posts:
ThiagoSilvasToe · 25/05/2021 04:27

I immediately think of Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. It's the best of the bunch though!

JemimaTiggywinkle · 25/05/2021 04:21

I prefer Esther to Hester

DalPalak · 25/05/2021 04:18

I love Hester! It always reminds me of the villainess in that old movie "The Man in Grey". (I mean that in a good way because the villainess was sultry and interesting while the heroine was drippy.) Fabulous, elegant name.

cariadlet · 25/05/2021 04:12

I really like Hester (and much prefer it to your other choices).

babynohair · 25/05/2021 03:57

I love Hester. It was on our shortlist for both DDs but as we went with an 'H' name for DD1 we didn't use it for DD2 in the end.

It's timeless, elegant, easy to spell and easy to pronounce.

wickedwitchofthedance · 25/05/2021 03:53

Please don't think of the poor child.

Notapheasantplucker · 25/05/2021 03:52

It's ermm... differentGrin and Lettis? Lettuce?