Esmeralda Girl

Popularity: #345 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ez-mer-AL-duh /ɛz.məˈɹɑːl.də/

Origin: Spanish; Arabic

Meaning: Spanish: emerald; Arabic: precious stone

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Esmeralda has its roots in the Spanish word for "emerald," derived from the Latin "smaragdus," which itself comes from the Greek "smaragdos." The Greek term is believed to have originated from a Semitic language, possibly Hebrew, where the word "bareketh" refers to a precious stone. The transition from these ancient languages into modern Spanish reflects both linguistic evolution and the cultural significance of gemstones in various societies.

The name Esmeralda entered the English language through the influence of Spanish literature and culture, particularly during the 19th century when interest in Spanish names grew in English-speaking regions. Historically, the name Esmeralda gained prominence through literary works, most notably in Victor Hugo's 1831 novel "Notre-Dame de Paris" (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame), where the character Esmeralda is a symbol of beauty and compassion.

This novel, which has been adapted into various films and stage productions, helped cement the name in popular culture. The character's tragic story and her association with themes of love and sacrifice contributed to the name's enduring appeal.

Additionally, the name has been borne by various saints and figures in Christian tradition, further enriching its historical significance. Culturally, Esmeralda embodies notions of beauty, rarity, and preciousness, much like the gemstone itself.

The emerald has long been associated with fertility, rebirth, and love in various cultures, which adds layers of meaning to the name. In some traditions, the emerald is believed to bring good fortune and protection, enhancing the name's positive connotations.

The diminutive form "Esme" has also emerged in various cultures, reflecting a softer, affectionate variant of the name. Overall, Esmeralda's rich etymological background, historical milestones, and cultural associations contribute to its lasting resonance in literature and society.

Famous people named Esmeralda

In this section, you will find notable people named Esmeralda. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Esmeralda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Esmeralda who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Esmeralda is a character in Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, known for her beauty and compassion.

Esmeralda Pimentel is an actress best known for her roles in La Bella y las Bestias, El Color de la Pasión, and La Candidata.

Fictional characters named Esmeralda

The following list of fictional characters named Esmeralda is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Esmeralda is a fictional character from the novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. She is a compassionate Romani woman who captures the heart of Quasimodo and stands against injustice in Paris.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Esmeralda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

IsabellaGabriellaOliviaSophiaJulianaAmara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Esmeralda. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

EmeraldEstrellaElenaAmaraSelenaMirandaSerenaArabella

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Esmeralda was first seen in the United States in 1911.

Esmeralda has ranked as high as #280 nationally, which occurred in 1998, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Esmeralda has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Esmeralda is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Esmeralda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Esmeralda.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 823 0 823
2024 894 0 894
2023 907 0 907
2022 854 0 854
2021 696 0 696
2020 790 0 790
2019 825 0 825
2018 832 0 832
2017 821 0 821
2016 869 0 869
2015 883 0 883
2014 867 0 867
2013 786 0 786
2012 882 0 882
2011 946 0 946
2010 1,168 0 1,168
2009 1,113 0 1,113
2008 1,340 0 1,340
2007 1,745 0 1,745
2006 1,538 0 1,538
2005 1,618 0 1,618
2004 1,618 5 1,613
2003 1,660 8 1,652
2002 1,598 0 1,598
2001 1,626 5 1,621
2000 1,646 5 1,641
1999 1,771 6 1,765
1998 2,484 7 2,477
1997 1,400 7 1,393
1996 768 0 768
1995 663 6 657
1994 695 7 688
1993 704 6 698
1992 644 14 630
1991 617 6 611
1990 610 9 601
1989 562 7 555
1988 481 6 475
1987 490 5 485
1986 470 5 465
1985 424 6 418
1984 399 7 392
1983 440 0 440
1982 531 13 518
1981 521 6 515
1980 527 7 520
1979 510 0 510
1978 485 8 477
1977 478 7 471
1976 480 0 480
1975 446 6 440
1974 389 0 389
1973 456 6 450
1972 261 0 261
1971 199 0 199
1970 221 0 221
1969 153 0 153
1968 159 0 159
1967 148 0 148
1966 176 0 176
1965 157 0 157
1964 174 0 174
1963 146 0 146
1962 163 0 163
1961 171 0 171
1960 168 0 168
1959 138 0 138
1958 131 0 131
1957 122 0 122
1956 98 0 98
1955 111 0 111
1954 121 0 121
1953 98 0 98
1952 112 0 112
1951 94 0 94
1950 67 0 67
1949 66 0 66
1948 54 0 54
1947 36 0 36
1946 38 0 38
1945 35 0 35
1944 27 0 27
1943 25 0 25
1942 24 0 24
1941 21 0 21
1940 10 0 10
1939 14 0 14
1938 13 0 13
1937 16 0 16
1936 8 0 8
1935 8 0 8
1934 16 0 16
1933 5 0 5
1932 8 0 8
1931 7 0 7
1930 17 0 17
1929 16 0 16
1928 11 0 11
1927 9 0 9
1926 14 0 14
1925 20 0 20
1924 8 0 8
1923 6 0 6
1921 6 0 6
1920 7 0 7
1919 7 0 7
1918 9 0 9
1917 7 0 7
1911 5 0 5

Top States for Esmeralda (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 223
26%
TX 140
16%
AZ 51
6%
FL 46
5%
IL 40
5%
NY 33
4%
WA 24
3%
NC 23
3%
CO 21
2%
NV 17
2%
GA 16
2%
TN 15
2%
VA 15
2%
OR 15
2%
IN 13
2%
NJ 13
2%
WI 13
2%
UT 12
1%
AL 11
1%
OH 11
1%
MI 10
1%
OK 10
1%
PA 10
1%
NM 9
1%
MD 9
1%
SC 8
1%
LA 8
1%
MN 8
1%
NE 7
1%
MA 7
1%
MO 7
1%
RI 6
1%
AR 5
1%
KS 5
1%