The Old Testament baby name Ezra feels exactly right in the twenty-first century.
Thanks to Bo for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
GOOD
Turn on the radio in the spring of 1995 and you couldn’t avoid hearing this song:
Lookin’ around the house
Hidden behind the window and the door
Searchin’ for signs of life
But there’s nobody home
The song was called Good, and the artists were a previously little-known group formed back at Louisiana State University. Known as Better Than Ezra, their success quietly pushed the name back into the spotlight.
From 1994 to 1996, the name jumped nearly 150 places in the US rankings, and it’s yet to slow down.
As for where the band found the name? They’ve never said. But there’s no shortage of possibilities.
OLD TESTAMENT
The name appears in the Old Testament. He’s a poet and a scribe, a teacher and interpreter of Jewish law.
The name’s Biblical status explains why it’s remained in use over the ages.
An early president of Yale University wore the name, as did the founder of Cornell University.
It’s the first name of Fitch in Abercrombie & Fitch, too. Before the store peddled goods in shopping malls, it outfitted gentlemen adventurers.
But this name doesn’t seem scholarly or rugged. Instead, the baby name Ezra leans literary. That’s thanks to two other figures.
KEATS and POUND
Born in the wilds of Idaho when it was still just a territory, poet Ezra Pound spent much of his adult life in Europe. His poetry endures, though his political views – he supported Italy’s fascist regime during World War II – ensure that he’s forever controversial.
On a happier note, there’s the classic children’s book The Snowy Day. Celebrated author Ezra Jack Keats wrote and illustrated the enduring favorite. It’s even inspired US postage stamps.
A literary pedigree and an unusual sound – the razor-sharp z-r, the -a ending – put the baby name Ezra on the quirky classics list for years.
RISING FAVORITE
But as those children of the 90s started families of their own, the baby name Ezra continued to climb.
There’s well-known journalist Klein, one of the founders of the news site Vox.
Actor Ezra Miller has become a household name, thanks to turns in the Fantastic Beasts franchise and his role as The Flash in the DC Comics universe.
Grammy-winning musician and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig adds another musical note to the name’s history.
Pretty Little Liars gave us Ezra Fitz.
Sound pushed this name higher, too. We’re all about a-ending boy names, with Noah a recent Top Ten choice, and other names like Luca and Isaiah very much in favor. That high-value Scrabble letter Z helps, too.
But there’s one other factor to consider.
BRIDGER
Disney’s animated series Star Wars Rebels takes place before A New Hope – the first Star Wars movie ever made – but after Revenge of the Sith. In the series, Ezra Bridger grows up an orphan. But he’s Force-sensitive – that is, a potential Jedi. He eventually joins up with a band of rebels as the Empire tightens its hold. Bridger proves himself a capable leader, though he struggles to use his power for good.
He’s a popular character, and the series has been a success. It first aired in 2014.
With Star Wars-inspired baby names feeling mainstream in recent years, the character has surely boosted the baby name Ezra even higher.
UNISEX?
As of 2018, 274 girls received the name Ezra – just enough to rank it inside the US Top 1000 for girls as well as boys.
Many names, from Biblical picks like Micah and Asa, to modern favorites like Jordan and Drew, have some history of use as unisex names across languages and cultures. That’s not the case for Ezra. Ezra as a girls’ name is new – though Ezra’s overall popularity is relatively new, too.
Given the overwhelming number of boys receiving the name, Ezra feels a little like Ryan or James for a girl – more of an exception, not a trend.
The Arabic feminine name Isra sounds similar, but has separate roots. And a female character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was named Ezri, which is a variant of Ezra, so that might also have some influence.
TOP 100 FAVORITE
Really, the only question remaining is how high will the baby name Ezra climb?
It cracked the Top 200 in 2012, entered the Top 100 by 2015, and is now more popular than ever before, with no signs of slowing down. As of 2018, the name ranked #59 – an all-time high.
What do you think of the baby name Ezra? Would you consider this name for a son?
Originally published on June 1, 2008, this post was revised on November 29, 2011, December 26, 2018, and June 8, 2020.
I think Ezra is getting ready to jump up a few places due to Ezra Fitz the name of a character in the pretty little liars book and television series. Along with Aria and Spencer on a girl.
I agree. It will definitely jump due to the hunky Ezra Fitz. It enlightened a lot of people that this really is a boy name! I’m a huge fan of the name Ezra.
I was one of those who thought Ezra was a girl’s name years ago. Mind you, I was probably 12 or 13 at the time, but still. I think it would work fine on a girl, even as I know Evans, Michaels and Noahs that are women.
But it does work best as a boy’s name, to me. Unlike Ira. I want Ira firmly on the girl side and no one seems to agree.
Ira is definitely all male to me. I personally dont think names like Evan or Michael work well on a girl at all, but each to their own.
Whether we think of a name as male or female or both has a lot to do with if we know anyone with that name, in my humble opinion. I have a wonderful male, Jewish colleague in his 60s named Ira so there is no way I could ever picture Ira on a girl.
But with no frame of reference for a name, we only have our own intiution and cultural sound conventions to go on.
Ezra is a really handsome name, and very strong-sounding. I would definitely consider it, except I probably screened it out through other name choices.
Kudos to anyone who chooses this name though.
I can’t imagine that someone would actually name their daughter Ezra lol. Its not a bad name – for a BOY. Its way too harsh sounding for a girl + it has so much history as a hebrew male name. There are so many pretty girl names out there. Why use ezra? Might as well just name your daughter Noah or Harry lol.
Your post actually reminded me of something. Once I was in a park and there was a little boy named Kelly. An older irish man who was there with me at the time said “wow so refreshing to see Kelly on a boy. If you name a girl Kelly you might as well name her Patrick”. Pretty much what you said here haha but with other names.
I have a son named Ezra, born in 2001. I knew the name was somewhat unusual, but I have been taken aback by how many people say they have never heard the name – people who go to church regularly!! The only people we have run into who have thought it was a girl’s name are from India. I understand there is an Indian girl’s name that sounds almost like Ezra.
Ezra is a nice boy’s name, but it’s so awful on a girl. It’s too bad that some people just don’t get it and think that, just because it ends in an “a”, it’s a girl’s name! I feel bad for any poor girl who is unfortunate enough to be named Ezra.
I think Ezra is beautiful, in fact it is the name of my baby born February 2008. It is a name that is resurfacing after being uncommon for many years. I have heard it’s a girl name, but I quickly point out its biblical origin. Many people who do not read the bible do not know this because it has not been common for quite some time.
I used to know a girl named Ezra, and another one named Azrah. I just makes me weep! Ezra is one of my favorite zippy boy names, and it’s a plus that my husband loves it also! He loves the band “Better than Ezra”. I have always secretly dreamed of having twin boys named Ezra and Boaz, both biblical, both four letters with the cool letter Z, it would be just so cool!
Congrats on your darling Ezra! Funny how the universe conspires … who knew that I’d posted it on his birthday?
My Ezra was born on the very day you posted this! I continue to fall deeper and deeper in love w/ his name and am so glad we went w/ it.
My only qualm is some people do seem very ignorant to the -a ending. I expected some confusion as to our religious association, considering we are not Jewish, yet I only received one comment along those lines. Far more people that I have come in contact w/ think Ezra’s a girl’s name! :O
I think people will get more familiar w/ the name considering the rise of the -a(h)s that you wrote about in another post and also the growing popularity of less common biblical names. I am positive that many of the reactions I have received are due to my area, also known as Where Names Go to Die. 😛 I receive some of the nicest possible compliments on Ezra’s name by those people who “get” it.
I will fully disclose that I <3 biblical names, if you haven’t gathered so already.