Given name & surname
Esa
“hairy”·“God is salvation”·“God is my salvation”
In Finnish use, Esa is a diminutive of Esau. One interpretation is “hairy.” Esa is a form of Isaiah. Interpretations include “God is salvation” (Hebrew) and “God is my salvation” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Finnish use, Esa is a diminutive of Esau. One interpretation is “hairy.” Esa is a form of Isaiah. Interpretations include “God is salvation” (Hebrew) and “God is my salvation” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In Finnish use, Esa is a diminutive of Esau. An origin associated with Esau is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In Finnish use, Esa is used as a form of Isaiah.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1967. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Finnish use, Esa is a diminutive of Esau. The history of Esau gives this family its wider story. Esau appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Esa through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 768
- 659 boys · 109 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 59 babies
- 2025
- 59
- #2,546 for boys · #12,299 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +23%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 52 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,546 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 7 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 740 as a first name in 2020; 389 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Esa’s family of names
In Finnish usage, Esa is a diminutive of Esau. Esa shares a linguistic root with Isaiah. In Greek usage, Esa as a surname is a transliteration of Έσα.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Esa has relatives in 3 languages.
4 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Isaiahcognate · English
- Isaiasequivalent
- Asaequivalent
- Isaequivalent
- Essaequivalent
- Esaiasequivalent
- Isaiaequivalent
- Yeshayahuequivalent
Show 2 moreShow fewer
People named Esa
- Veikko KankkonenFinnish ski jumperborn 1940
- Esa TikkanenFinnish ice hockey playerborn 1965
- Esa LindellFinnish ice hockey playerborn 1994
- Esa SaarioFinnish actor1931–2025
- Esa KeskinenFinnish former ice hockey playerborn 1965
- Esa PirnesFinnish ice hockey playerborn 1977
- Esa SeesteOlympic gymnast (1913–1997)
- Esa HolopainenFinnish musicianborn 1972
- Esa PekonenFinnish association football player and managerborn 1961
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Esa, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eithan
“firmness” · “long-lived”
>99% boys
Gianni
“God is gracious”
80% boys · 20% girls
Tahan
“encampment”
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Nethaniah
“Yah has given”
>99% boys
Abiezer
“my father is help” · “father of help”
>99% boys
Elyan
“a spirited man” · “The Lord answers our prayers”
96% boys · 4% girls
Ares
“Ares' dome” · “the containment of competition”
96% boys · 4% girls
Ekaksh
>99% boys