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Thanks everyone! Sorry I couldn't get back to some of you until today.

I actually quite like it. I definitely like it way more than Hannah, which is so boring to me. Hester reminds me of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, but that's not a negative association to me. I love literary references. :)

I like Hester! I too think of it as hip - for me, it's the funkier version of the potentially faith-heavy Esther.

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some combos! I like pairing Hester with offbeat, zippy names to help encourage the "I'm the fresh, new Hester" vibe:

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Hester Zoe
Hester Lucy
Hester Kitty
Hester Clio
Hester Liza
Hester Ivy
Hester Vera
Hester Daisy
Hester Phoebe
Hester Tansy
Hester Sylvie
Hester Julie
Hester Lily
Hester Cora
Hester Odelia

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I think Hester Daisy might be my favourite. Hester lends Daisy solemnity and Daisy lightens Hester up prettily. I'm getting a strong wooden and sensible fairytale vibe from it. I also really like the artless warmth of Hester Julie.

This message was edited 3/14/2011, 12:19 PM

I like it a lot, but I'd never thought of it as hipster before - although now you've said that I can totally see hipster Hester.

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Hester Molly
Hester Rae
Hester Lucy
Hester Eve
Hester Marigold
Hester Zinnia
Hester Delphine
Hester Joy

Hm, I'm going back and forth. At first I thought, yeah - seems reasonably modest and at the same time rebelliously unfrilly, yet still quite feminine ...

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The rhymes are bad. Ester, fester, tester, investor, Chester, molester, yester, digester, jester, pester, zester ... there's a chord being struck with me, by the sound, which is sort of frenzied and too earthy. Retrospunk. The Moxie of yesteryear?

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I dunno. Some girls/women could carry it off, and it could be really very impressive. Most ... no. Too much hipster cool zip, not enough funky, for me.

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Fun with Combos .. ah the -er ending makes these a kick.

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Hester Vesta
Hester Drusilla
Hester Minerva
Hester Gemini
Hester Channary

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The person I knew best with the name Hester was the essence of right-wing misery, very plain and prone to learning karate in case A Man ever looked at her in the wrong way. So that's not encouraging.

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But in the Phillip Pullman books there is Hester the Arctic hare, who is a most worthy and engaging character, so she improves it a lot.

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And, I agree, much more positive energy than Hannah.

I like Hester a lot - and Esther and Hestia. I don't connect it with Hannah at all though.

All I can think of is Hester Prynne and how much I hated reading the Scarlet Letter in high school. It's not a horrible name, but it is really bland.

I think of three characters in literature.

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Hester from A Prayer from Owen Meany by John Irving- her nickname was Hester the Molester

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Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone

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Hester Latterly - the partner/wife of literary detective William Monk, created by Anne Perry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Monk)

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All of these characters were created beautifully - I find it hard to separate the name from them. I would probably really like it and have it on my list - if I didn't have the connection of 'Hester the molester' in my head. Damn John Irving!

Two images come to mind:

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1. Hester Prynne -- admittedly, I generally like Puritan names and I've never read The Scarlet Letter (although, I've been meaning to), but I just don't think I'd be able to resist teasing my own kid, i.e. calling her Hester Prynne whenever she brings home a romantic interest, you know?

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2. Hester the Molester from A Prayer for Owen Meany -- this I did read (and hated! I found it incredibly boring...) and Hester was the narrator's cousin (I think) who got called Hester the Molester by her brother(s?) and later used it as her stage name when she became a rockstar.

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Because of these two images, I just don't like Hester. Although, I do like Esther (which also rhymes with 'molester,' now that I think about it...), so I don't know why I can't just shake the above images...Sorry.

I love it, and I love Esther and Hestia too, all great names.

Hmmm, I like that image. For me the only thing it's ever been is frumpy, but I'm gonna look at it in a new light from now on.

I like it. It doesn't remind me much of Hannah, but it does make me think of Esther and Hazel. I used to think it was too old-fashioned, but now I like it. The first thing I think of when I hear it is Hester Prynne (who was actually a pretty neat character...).

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Hester Violet
Hester Adhara
Hester Rose
Hester Olympia
Hester Anthea
Hester Acacia
Hester Sibyl
Hester Merope
Hester Sunniva
Hester Acantha
Hester Margareta
Hester Betony
Hester Athena
Hester Octavia
Hester Freya
Hester Athenais
Hester Bethan
Hester Belen
Hester Pearl (yeah, I know)
Hester Rionach
Hester Althea
Hester Olivera
Hester Oliva
Hester Philippa

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I don't really get that vibe from it. I think it's sweet and shy and traditional. So like a less outgoing version of Hannah... maybe we don't see Hannah the same, either. :P

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Hmm, combos. I'll try to do some that go with your vibe, too.
Hester Annegret
Hester Beatriz
Hester Cate
Hester Hannelore
Hester Ibbie
Hester Johanna
Hester Kindred
Hester Michaela
Hester Rue
Hester Tallulah
Hester Zina

Makes me think of Hester Street in New York City first, then Hester Prynne (based on a woman named Hannah Prynne - you and Nathaniel Hawthorne are kindred spirits). Still, I like it a lot, much prettier than Ester or Hestia.

I prefer Esther or Hestia. Hester looks funny, too close to Jester maybe.