Esther Howland (1828 - 1904) was an artist and businesswoman who is responsible for popularizing Valentine's Day greeting cards.

She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1847 at the age of 19. Howland received an ornate English Valentine from a business associate of her father and began to create and market her own brand of Valentine's Day greeting cards. She employed friends and developed a thriving business which she eventually sold in 1881.