girl's name
Esme
EZ-may
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 36,892
the United States
#298
2025 births
Esme is a girl's name of Old French origin meaning "esteemed" or "beloved." It comes from esmé, the past participle of esmer, to esteem, and reached Britain through the Scottish court in the sixteenth century.
- Esme is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 2016, when 1,416 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 565 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Esme over time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 727 |
| 2000s | 3,764 |
| 2010s | 11,100 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 5,948 |
What Esme means
Esme means esteemed, valued or beloved. It is a past participle — literally one who has been esteemed — rather than an adjective describing a quality the bearer possesses naturally.
Where Esme comes from
Esme comes from the Old French esmé, past participle of esmer, to esteem or to value, from the Latin aestimare. It arrived in Britain with Esmé Stewart, a French-born cousin of James VI who came to Scotland in 1579 and was made Duke of Lennox; the name was male in that first use and only later became predominantly female. A separate and mistaken association links Esme to Esmeralda, the Spanish for emerald — the two are unconnected, and the emerald reading appears in reference works purely through the resemblance.
Esme in use
Our data shows Esme peaking in 2016 and still rising, at 45 in England and Wales against 298 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1996. J. D. Salinger's 1950 story For Esmé — with Love and Squalor kept the name in literary circulation through its long absence from birth registers.
How popular is Esme?
In 2025, Esme was given to 933 babies in England and Wales, ranking #45 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Esme is used
Figures for England and Wales withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
How Esme is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Esmé | Esmé is Esme written with an acute accent in France, and the spelling parents there overwhelmingly choose: it ranks #760 in France, against #3,077 for Esme. | 566 |
| Ésmé | Ésmé is a rare spelling of Esme, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Esme
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Esme also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Esme over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Esme in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Dutch
- Esmée
Sibling names for Esme
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Esme — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Esme
What does the name Esme mean?
Esme means "esteemed" or "beloved," from the Old French esmé, past participle of esmer, to esteem.
Is Esme short for Esmeralda?
No. Esmeralda is Spanish for emerald and is unrelated — the two are linked in some reference works only by resemblance.
Was Esme originally a boy's name?
Yes. Its first British bearer was Esmé Stewart, Duke of Lennox, who arrived in Scotland in 1579.
How popular is the name Esme?
In 2025, Esme was given to 933 babies in England and Wales, ranking #45 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
How many syllables are in Esme?
Esme has 2 syllables.
Is Esme a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Esme currently ranks #33 in England and Wales. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.