Meaning and origin
Ezra means “help” in Hebrew. It is an old biblical name that has remained in use in Hebrew and became established in the English-speaking world after the Protestant Reformation. Its compact spelling brings together two syllables and the distinctive z sound in the middle.
The biblical Ezra is a priest and scribe associated with the book that bears his name. His story concerns the Jewish community’s return to Jerusalem and its religious life after exile, giving the name a connection with teaching, study, and the rebuilding of a community.
Ezra in the biblical story
Ezra 7 introduces him as a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. He travels from Babylon to Jerusalem during the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes. The chapter describes his commitment to studying the law, following it, and teaching it to the people of Israel.
This account places Ezra within the Persian period of biblical history. His role is closely tied to religious learning and leadership, rather than only to the journey itself. The name’s short meaning, “help,” sits alongside a detailed narrative of a scholar and priest working among a returning community.
Pronunciation and related forms
English speakers usually pronounce Ezra EZ-ruh, with the stress on the first syllable. Hebrew pronunciation puts the stress at the end, approximately ez-RA. Both forms have two syllables, but their rhythm differs.
Ezrah is an English spelling variant. Esdras is a related biblical form, familiar from Greek and Latin traditions. These forms connect the modern name with different ways of writing and pronouncing the same older Hebrew name.
Ezra Jack Keats and The Snowy Day
Author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats gives the name an important place in children’s literature. His picture book The Snowy Day, published by Viking, won the 1963 Caldecott Medal.
The story follows a young boy’s delight when he wakes to a world covered in snow. Its bright colors and collage illustrations make the winter setting a central part of the reading experience. The Caldecott Medal recognizes distinguished American picture-book illustration, so the award celebrates the visual storytelling that makes Keats’s work memorable alongside its simple text.
Popularity in the United States
Ezra has risen sharply among American boys in recent years. It ranked number 93 in 2015 and number 44 in 2020. Its strongest year was 2024, when 8,822 boys received the name and it ranked number 13.
It stood at number 20 in 2025, remaining near the top of the national list. American records also include girls named Ezra: the spelling ranked number 834 for girls in 2025, with boys accounting for the larger share of its use.
Sources & methodologyReferences, data & attribution
Meaning and history draw on the references below. American popularity figures use published Social Security Administration records for this exact spelling; counts below five for a name, sex, and year are omitted.
How popular is Ezra?
In 2025, Ezra ranked #20 among boys in the United States, with 8,126 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for boys in 1880; its largest annual count was 8,822 in 2024. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.