Given name & surname
Ezra
“help”·“one who is helpful”·“a helper”
Ezra is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “help” (Hebrew), “one who is helpful” (Hebrew), and “a helper” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewעזרא
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “help” (Hebrew), “one who is helpful” (Hebrew), and “a helper” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
The name appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Ezra appears in 1 Chronicles 4:17, 1 Chronicles 4:4, Nehemiah 12:1 and 1 other passage.
- 1 Chronicles 4:17
- 1 Chronicles 4:4
- Nehemiah 12:1
- Ezra 7:1
From biblical name research
Ezra through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 111,768
- 106,761 boys · 5,007 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 9,222 babies
- 2025
- 8,453
- #20 for boys · #834 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +38%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 8,126 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 20 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 37.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 327 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (1,190). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 52,906 as a first name in 2020; 735 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.
Ezra’s family of names
In English usage, Ezra shares an earlier linguistic root with Esdras. In English usage, Ezra has a conventional equivalent in the Icelandic form Esra. In English usage, Ezra has a conventional equivalent in the French form Esdras.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ezra has relatives in 16 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
8 related names in 16 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 38
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Azielshares a root
- Azariahshares a root
- Azrielshares a root
- Oziasshares a root
- Eliezershares a root
- Lazarusshares a root
- Eleazarshares a root
- Jeriahshares a root
Show 30 moreShow fewer
- Azizashares a root
- Uzziahshares a root
- Ebenezershares a root
- Azazelshares a root
- Jerielshares a root
- Uzzielshares a root
- Jaazielshares a root
- Azarelshares a root
- Reaiahshares a root
- Jaaziahshares a root
- Azzanshares a root
- Jazershares a root
- Abiezershares a root
- Uzziashares a root
- Uzzishares a root
- Uzzahshares a root
- Uzzashares a root
- Mamreshares a root
- Haroehshares a root
- Irijahshares a root
- Maaziahshares a root
- Azzurshares a root
- Azrikamshares a root
- Azmavethshares a root
- Azgadshares a root
- Azaziahshares a root
- Azazshares a root
- Romamti-ezershares a root
- Hadarezershares a root
- Ahiezershares a root
People named Ezra
- Ezra PoundAmerican poet and critic (1885–1972)
- Ezra MillerAmerican actor (born 1992)
- Ezra KoenigAmerican rock musicianborn 1984
- Ezra Taft BensonPresident of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1899-1994)
- Ezra CornellAmerican businessman (1807-1874)
- Ezra KleinAmerican journalistborn 1984
- Ezra Meekerpioneer of Washington Territory who later publicized the memory of the Oregon Trail1830–1928
- Ezra T. NewmanAmerican theoretical physicist (1929–2021)
- Ezra HendricksonSaint Vincent and the Grenadines footballer and managerborn 1972
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ezra, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Eli
“one who has ascended; my God on high”
99% boys · 1% girls