Given name
Esmerelda
“resembling a prized emerald”
In English use, Esmerelda has a related form in Esmeralda. One Spanish interpretation is “resembling a prized emerald.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Esmerelda has a related form in Esmeralda. One Spanish interpretation is “resembling a prized emerald.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Esmerelda has a related form in Esmeralda. An origin associated with Esmeralda is Spanish.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Esmerelda through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 776
- 0 boys · 776 girls
- Most popular year
- 2021
- 39 babies
- 2025
- 26
- #5,017 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +37%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 26 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,017 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 36.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,708 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Esmerelda’s family of names
In English usage, Esmerelda has a related form in Esmeralda.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Esmerelda
Characters named Esmerelda: Granny Weatherwax (Terry Pratchett's Discworld series).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Esmerelda, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.