Born in Sioux City, Iowa, Esther Pauline and her identical twin sister Pauline Esther ("Popo", who was 17 minutes younger) were daughters of Russian Jewish immigrants Rebecca Friedman (née Rushall) and Abraham B. Friedman.
During Lederer's career writing the Ann Landers column, her sister wrote a similar personal advice column, "Dear Abby", under the name Abigail Van Buren, which she initiated in San Francisco a few months after Eppie took over as Ann Landers in Chicago.