What Does the Name Esme Mean?

Esme is a girl's name of Old French origin meaning “esteemed, beloved.”

Updated June 2026

Name	Esme
Gender	female
Origin	Old French
Meaning	esteemed, beloved
Variants	Esmé, Esmee, Esmeralda, Ismay
Popularity	Fashionable in the UK and rising in the US, partly boosted by literature and the Twilight series character Esme Cullen.

The meaning and origin of Esme

The name Esme means “esteemed, beloved” and has Old French origins. From the Old French past participle of esmer 'to esteem', ultimately from Latin aestimare. Originally a masculine name introduced to Scotland by Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, it became predominantly feminine by the mid-20th century.

Variants and related names

Esme is related to several other names you may recognize: Esmé, Esmee, Esmeralda, Ismay. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Esme?

Fashionable in the UK and rising in the US, partly boosted by literature and the Twilight series character Esme Cullen.

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