
The short answer
Esmeralda is a feminine name used in Spanish and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Means ‘emerald’ in Spanish and Portuguese, ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos). Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo." It ranked #373 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, means ‘emerald’ in Spanish and Portuguese, ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos). Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. The entry lists its usage as Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Esmeralda ranked #373 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #373 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Spanish) and that sit near Esmeralda in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Esmeralda mean?
Esmeralda means "emerald", according to Behind the Name.
Is Esmeralda a popular name?
Esmeralda ranked #373 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Esmeralda a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Esmeralda appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Esmeralda — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.