UK girl's name
Esme
A diminutive of the Old French names Esmeree or Esmerie, from the root "esmer" meaning "to esteem or admire".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Esme is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Esme popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #51, with 864 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 1,416 births.
This profile covers 20,606 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 61% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 22,231 living people in the UK are called Esme. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Esme ranked #51 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 864 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 1,416 girls were registered as Esme.
- • Esme ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #33 in 2024.
- • About 22,231 living people in the UK are estimated to have Esme as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#51
2024
Births in 2024
864
Latest year
Peak year
2016
1,416 births
Estimated living
22,231
2026
Meaning
What does Esme mean?
The name Esme has its origins in the French language, derived from the Old French word "esmée," meaning "beloved" or "esteemed." It is a feminine form of the masculine name "Esmé."
The earliest recorded use of the name Esme can be traced back to the 12th century in France, where it was a popular name among the nobility and upper classes. In medieval France, the name was often associated with grace, beauty, and virtue.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Esme was Esme de Laval, a French noblewoman who lived in the 13th century. She was renowned for her beauty and her patronage of the arts and literature.
During the Renaissance period, the name Esme gained popularity in England, particularly among the aristocracy. One notable figure was Esme Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox (1542-1583), a Scottish nobleman who served as a close advisor to King James VI of Scotland.
In the 17th century, the name Esme was also used in literature. In the novel "The Fortunes of Nigel" by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1822, a character named Esme Cheneau plays a significant role.
Another notable bearer of the name Esme was Esme Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith (1863-1939), a British diplomat and politician who served as a member of the House of Lords and as the British Ambassador to the United States.
In the 20th century, the name Esme gained wider popularity and was used across various cultures and regions. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Esme Wynne-Tyson (1890-1970), a British actress known for her roles in silent films and early talkies.
Another notable Esme was Esme Renouf (1883-1966), a British academic and historian who specialized in the study of ancient Greece and Rome. She was one of the first women to be appointed as a fellow at the University of Oxford.
Throughout its history, the name Esme has been associated with elegance, grace, and intellectualism. Its French origins and its use among the nobility and literary circles have contributed to its enduring appeal and cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Esme over time
The chart below shows babies named Esme registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Esme, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 864 births in 2024, compared with 1,416 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Esme by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Esme was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #45 | 5,015 | 5 |
| 2010s | #52 | 11,100 | 10 |
| 2000s | #147 | 3,764 | 10 |
| 1990s | #230 | 727 | 4 |
Geography
Where Esme is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Esme. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Esme ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #33 in 2024.
Across the UK
Esme in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#33 in 2024
34 years of NRS records, 1,459 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#57 in 2024
16 years of NISRA records, 273 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Esme
-
Esme Cornelius
basketball player
Welsh basketball player (born 2003)
2003-
-
Esme Houston
Scottish politician
2001-
-
Esme Burge
field hockey player
English hockey player
1999-
-
Esme Charles Harlowe Lowe
Peerage person ID=565283
1962-
-
Esme Young
fashion designer; writer; television presenter
English fashion designer and television presenter
1949-
-
Esme Harris
competitive diver
British diver
1933-2023
-
Esme Maude Sandison
tennis player
Indian tennis player
1904-
-
Esme Haywood
cricketer
English cricketer (1900-1985)
1900-1985
Related
Names similar to Esme
- Emily 121,621
- Ella 69,101
- Ellie 63,522
- Evie 52,944
- Emma 50,755
- Eleanor 40,576
- Elizabeth 39,225
- Erin 34,816
- Eva 29,738
- Evelyn 26,911
- Elsie 23,671
- Emilia 22,167
FAQ
Esme: questions and answers
How popular is the name Esme in the UK right now?
In 2024, Esme was ranked #51 for girls in England and Wales, with 864 births registered.
When was Esme most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 1,416 babies registered as Esme in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Esme?
A diminutive of the Old French names Esmeree or Esmerie, from the root "esmer" meaning "to esteem or admire".
How many people are called Esme in the UK?
A total of 20,606 babies have been registered as Esme across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,459 more in Scotland and 273 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Esme most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Esme ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #33 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.