Esme
How to say it: ez-MAY · /ɛzˈmeɪ/
From Old French 'esme' meaning 'esteemed, beloved'; used in English since medieval times.
Esme was the 319th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,032 babies (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.5-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #239 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #319 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,032 |
| Share of births | 1 in 3,212 |
| Peak decade | 2020s |
| Change over 10 years | ×2.5 |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #239 |
| In France, 2025 | #590 among girls’ names, 60 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Gaining through the 2020s, Esme stands at its peak. More increase looks likely ahead.
What goes with it
Gentle and breathy with soft edges, it feels tender and refined. Elodie shares its style.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Esme is about 1 in 134.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French.
In France: #590 for girls in 2025.
England and Wales: #45. Ireland: #135.
Famous people named Esme
- Esme Morgan (born 2000)English footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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