Esmé, Esmée

Origin: French
Meaning: “esteemed.”

Both names are derived from the French, meaning “esteemed.” It was introduced to the British Isles via the Duke of Lennox in the 16th-century. Though Esmé is now often used on females in both England and Scotland, it is actually masculine, while Esmée is its feminine version.

Currently, Esmé is the 100th most popular female name in England/Wales, (2008) and Esmée is the 71st most popular female name in the Netherlands, (2009).