Esme
Esme is a girls' name of French origin meaning “esteemed, beloved.” It ranked #298 in the United States in 2025. From the Old French esmé meaning esteemed or loved.
how do you pronounce Esme?
EZ-may
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Esme mean?
The name Esme means “esteemed, beloved.” It comes from the French language tradition.
From the Old French esmé meaning esteemed or loved. It was used by J.D. Salinger in For Esmé—with Love and Squalor and gained modern popularity through Esme Cullen in the Twilight series.
where does the name Esme come from?
Wikipedia derives Esme (also spelled Esmee) from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, to esteem, giving it the sense esteemed or, similarly, beloved.
the history of Esme
The same source notes Esme was originally a masculine name and had become a feminine name by the mid-twentieth century; nothing further about literary or pop-culture uses is confirmed by the material retrieved.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #298 |
| 2024 | #343 |
| 2023 | #325 |
| 2022 | #304 |
| 2021 | #376 |
| 2020 | #395 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Esme?
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Esme?
- Esme Cullen (fictional, Twilight)
what names are similar to Esme?
what names go well with Esme?
Sibling names that share Esme's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
love Esme? get 10 more names curated for your family.
Popularity rankings and meanings are just the starting point. Our AI consultant finds names that match your heritage, style, and what matters most to you.
Completely free. No credit card required.
start free consultation