Fun Facts About the Name Esau
- More than 2 thousand babies named Esau: U.S. records list 2,976 babies given the name Esau from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Esau Mean?
Esau is a Hebrew name, written ʿĒśāw (עֵשָׂו) in the Hebrew Bible. It is traditionally explained as meaning hairy, a sense drawn from the account in Genesis 25:25, where Esau is born "like a hairy garment" and the name is linked to the Hebrew word seʿar (שֵׂעָר), meaning "hair." That link is a wordplay within the biblical text rather than a demonstrated etymology. The consonants of the name do not match seʿar exactly, and the name's true origin is uncertain; other derivations have been suggested, but none is settled.
Esau Name History & Origins
Esau is the name of a figure in the Book of Genesis: the elder of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah and the brother of Jacob. Because he was born ruddy and covered with hair, he was also called Edom, a name tied to the Hebrew word for "red" (ʾadom). The Genesis narrative relates how he sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal of red lentils and later lost his father's blessing, and it presents him as the ancestor of the Edomites; "Esau" is also used in the Bible for that people.
The name passed into Greek as Ἠσαῦ (Hēsau) in the Septuagint and into Latin as Esau in the Vulgate, and through those biblical texts it entered use in Christian Europe. It appears in the New Testament, where Paul refers to Esau in Romans 9:13 and Hebrews 12:16. In rabbinic tradition, Esau and Edom came to stand for Rome and, by extension, for hostile powers - an interpretive association rather than part of the name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Esau?
Esau recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2007. Its best rank was #926 in 1890.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,205 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2024 | #3,055 | 40 | 0.0023% |
| 2023 | #3,492 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2022 | #2,883 | 44 | 0.0025% |
| 2021 | #3,318 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2020 | #3,035 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2019 | #3,440 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 2018 | #3,122 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 2017 | #4,145 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2016 | #2,596 | 48 | 0.0025% |
| 2015 | #2,987 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 2014 | #2,857 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 2013 | #3,146 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 2012 | #2,608 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2011 | #2,596 | 47 | 0.0025% |
| 2010 | #2,270 | 57 | 0.0030% |
| 2009 | #2,236 | 59 | 0.0030% |
| 2008 | #1,972 | 72 | 0.0035% |
| 2007 | #1,785 | 82 | 0.0040% |
| 2006 | #1,864 | 73 | 0.0036% |
| 2005 | #1,992 | 63 | 0.0032% |
| 2004 | #1,940 | 63 | 0.0032% |
| 2003 | #2,062 | 55 | 0.0028% |
| 2002 | #2,265 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2001 | #1,897 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 2000 | #1,615 | 73 | 0.0037% |
| 1999 | #2,366 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1998 | #2,287 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #2,208 | 39 | 0.0021% |
| 1996 | #2,120 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1995 | #2,464 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1994 | #2,879 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1993 | #2,021 | 40 | 0.0020% |
| 1992 | #2,103 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1991 | #2,108 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 1990 | #1,787 | 44 | 0.0021% |
| 1989 | #1,905 | 39 | 0.0019% |
| 1988 | #2,053 | 31 | 0.0016% |
| 1987 | #2,498 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #2,626 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #2,377 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1984 | #3,529 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #2,515 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #2,132 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1981 | #1,962 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1980 | #2,020 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1979 | #2,121 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1978 | #2,597 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1977 | #2,590 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #2,866 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1975 | #2,673 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1974 | #2,856 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #2,255 | 18 | 0.0012% |
| 1972 | #3,223 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #4,105 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #2,661 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1969 | #2,749 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #3,191 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #2,395 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #2,074 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #2,400 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #2,347 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1963 | #2,584 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #2,560 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #2,458 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #2,743 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #2,334 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #2,295 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1957 | #1,726 | 22 | 0.0010% |
| 1956 | #2,118 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1955 | #2,248 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1954 | #2,145 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1953 | #2,063 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1952 | #2,575 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #1,745 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1950 | #1,626 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1949 | #1,721 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1948 | #1,900 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #1,806 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #1,839 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1945 | #1,876 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1944 | #1,837 | 15 | 0.0011% |
| 1943 | #2,317 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1942 | #1,646 | 19 | 0.0014% |
| 1941 | #1,653 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1940 | #1,931 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1939 | #1,429 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1938 | #2,013 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1937 | #1,934 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1936 | #1,906 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1935 | #1,677 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1934 | #1,472 | 22 | 0.0021% |
| 1933 | #2,131 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #1,671 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1931 | #3,952 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #2,498 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1929 | #3,071 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #1,854 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1927 | #3,567 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #1,812 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1925 | #1,650 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1924 | #2,707 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1923 | #1,894 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1922 | #1,783 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1921 | #2,091 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1920 | #1,984 | 17 | 0.0016% |
| 1919 | #2,184 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1918 | #1,932 | 17 | 0.0017% |
| 1917 | #1,716 | 19 | 0.0021% |
| 1916 | #1,427 | 24 | 0.0027% |
| 1915 | #2,098 | 13 | 0.0015% |
| 1914 | #1,710 | 14 | 0.0021% |
| 1913 | #1,523 | 13 | 0.0025% |
| 1912 | #2,112 | 7 | 0.0016% |
| 1911 | #1,597 | 6 | 0.0027% |
| 1909 | #1,189 | 7 | 0.0043% |
| 1908 | #1,269 | 6 | 0.0039% |
| 1907 | #1,132 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1902 | #964 | 7 | 0.0057% |
| 1900 | #1,081 | 7 | 0.0047% |
| 1897 | #983 | 6 | 0.0053% |
| 1896 | #1,150 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1894 | #994 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1893 | #1,093 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1890 | #926 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1884 | #1,018 | 5 | 0.0044% |
| 1880 | #957 | 5 | 0.0045% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Esau Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are fine when in harmony but changeable when in discord, because many of your best qualities are then reversed. You are entertaining but may be impulsive. Freedom is a necessity, and you find it difficult to settle down. Your versatility results in many changes, and often brings travel. Your fine intellect is capable of high honors if applied seriously. You are capable of inspired thinking applied to material things. You can be restless, changeable, and very sexy. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Esau's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Esau's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.