UK girl's name
Esmi
A feminine Arabic name meaning "highest" or "most exalted".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Esmi is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Esmi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 5 births.
This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2013 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 31 living people in the UK are called Esmi. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Esmi ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 5 girls were registered as Esmi.
- • About 31 living people in the UK are estimated to have Esmi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2017
5 births
Estimated living
31
2026
Meaning
What does Esmi mean?
The given name Esmi has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages, which emerged in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BCE. The name is believed to be derived from the Sumerian word "ešme," which means "life" or "breath."
In Sumerian mythology, Esmi was also the name of a minor goddess associated with fertility and childbirth. Her name is mentioned in some cuneiform tablets and inscriptions found in archaeological sites across Mesopotamia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Esmi can be found in the Sumerian King List, an ancient text that chronicles the rulers of various Sumerian city-states. The list mentions an early ruler named Esmi, who is said to have reigned in the city of Kish around 2700 BCE.
Throughout history, the name Esmi has been found in various cultures and regions influenced by the Sumerian civilization, such as the Akkadian Empire and the Babylonian Kingdom.
Notable individuals with the name Esmi include:
1. Esmi of Kish (c. 2700 BCE), a legendary ruler of the ancient Sumerian city-state of Kish, as mentioned in the Sumerian King List.
2. Esmi-Humban (c. 2500 BCE), an Akkadian princess and the daughter of Sargon of Akkad, one of the earliest known empire-builders in ancient Mesopotamia.
3. Esmi-Anum (c. 2100 BCE), a Sumerian high priestess and scribe who served in the temple of the goddess Inanna in the city of Uruk.
4. Esmi-Adad (c. 1800 BCE), a Babylonian official and advisor to King Shamshu-iluna of the Old Babylonian period.
5. Esmi-Dagan (c. 1600 BCE), a Kassite king who ruled over the city-state of Babylon for a brief period, according to some ancient chronicles.
While the name Esmi has its roots in ancient Mesopotamian cultures, it has continued to be used, albeit less commonly, in various parts of the world, carrying the essence of its original meaning related to life and fertility.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Esmi over time
The chart below shows babies named Esmi registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Esmi, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Esmi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Esmi 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 | #5646 | 9 | 3 |
| 2010s | #5117 | 22 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Esmi
- 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
Esmi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Esmi in the UK right now?
In 2023, Esmi was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Esmi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 5 babies registered as Esmi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Esmi?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "highest" or "most exalted".
How many people are called Esmi in the UK?
A total of 31 babies have been registered as Esmi across the 9 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.