Esperanza
Girl name · #1207 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Esperanza? In official American birth records, Esperanza has been tracked continuously since 1903, giving it 122 years of documented American history.
Esperanza is currently the #1207 girl name in the United States — 188 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #921, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,574 girls born in 2025 was named Esperanza.
Babies named Esperanza per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 122-year story
Esperanza first appears in the Social Security records in 1903, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 499 girls were named Esperanza — good for #528 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Esperanza against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Esperanza in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Esperanza is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Esperanza will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Esperanza is most common
Geography matters for names, and Esperanza is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Esperanza is most common in AZ (0.5 per 1,000), CA (0.3 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Esperanza is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Esperanza
Statistically, parents drawn to Esperanza tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Elysia, Katerina, Estefania, Evangelina, and Esmeralda.
ElysiaKaterinaEstefaniaEvangelinaEsmeraldaMagdalenaElisabethGiovanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Esperanza | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 188 | #1207 |
| 2024 | 252 | #1013 |
| 2023 | 258 | #989 |
| 2022 | 262 | #997 |
| 2021 | 224 | #1103 |
| 2020 | 270 | #947 |
| 2019 | 272 | #965 |
| 2018 | 265 | #990 |
| 2017 | 277 | #952 |
| 2016 | 264 | #999 |
| 2015 | 298 | #921 |
| 2014 | 258 | #1011 |
| 2013 | 249 | #1003 |
| 2012 | 240 | #1050 |
| 2011 | 296 | #884 |
| 2010 | 271 | #948 |
| 2009 | 278 | #961 |
| 2008 | 277 | #968 |
| 2007 | 351 | #819 |
| 2006 | 422 | #676 |
| 2005 | 363 | #741 |
| 2004 | 350 | #749 |
| 2003 | 396 | #668 |
| 2002 | 423 | #605 |
| 2001 | 455 | #567 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Esperanza?
In official American birth records, the name Esperanza first appeared in 1903 (over 122 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 122 years.
Is Esperanza a popular girl name?
Esperanza ranked #1207 among girls in 2025 with 188 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #921.
When was the name Esperanza most popular?
Esperanza peaked in 2000, when 499 American girls received the name (ranked #528 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Esperanza?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,574 newborn American girls was named Esperanza. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.