Is Esperanza a boy's or girl's name?

Esperanza is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 35 recorded births.

When was Esperanza most popular?

Esperanza reached its peak popularity in 2000 with 499 births that year. It is currently ranked #1017 in the U.S.

How popular is the name Esperanza?

Esperanza is currently ranked #1017 in the U.S. (2024). It has been given to 20,654 babies since 1903.

Esperanza

An uncommon Spanish pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysSpanishDeclining Also a pet name

#1017▼ 27in 2024

Meaning & Origin

A municipality of Masbate, Philippines.

Esperanza is a girl's and boy's baby name of Spanish origin, from the Spanish esperanza meaning "hope" — one of the three great theological virtues alongside faith and charity. It has been widely used across Spain and Latin America as a name of profound optimism and spiritual aspiration.

With over 20,000 U.S. births recorded, Esperanza has been a consistent presence in Hispanic-American communities. Sandra Cisneros's novel The House on Mango Street features an Esperanza as its narrator, and the name carries the same aspirational energy in that literary context as it does in everyday life.

Compare Esperanza with another name

Popularity Over Time

Esperanza was #749 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #1017, but its charm endures.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Esperanza
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2020s	1,261	#1013	▼
2010s	2,689	#973	▼
2000s	3,814	#729	▲
1990s	2,359	#908	▲
1980s	1,302	#1125	—
1970s	1,317	#983	▲
1960s	1,231	#950	▼
1950s	1,500	#787	—
1940s	1,602	#611	▲
1930s	1,385	#565	▼
1920s	1,695	#562	▲
1910s	454	#994	▲
1900s	45	#1661	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(121 years, 1903–2024)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Esperanza
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2024	249	#1017	-9 (-3.5%)
2023	258	#990	-2 (-0.8%)
2022	260	#1004	+36 (16.1%)
2021	224	#1104	-46 (-17.0%)
2020	270	#949	-2 (-0.7%)
2019	272	#966	+7 (2.6%)
2018	265	#991	-12 (-4.3%)
2017	277	#954	+13 (4.9%)
2016	264	#999	-34 (-11.4%)
2015	298	#921	+40 (15.5%)
2014	258	#1013	+10 (4.0%)
2013	248	#1005	+8 (3.3%)
2012	240	#1050	-56 (-18.9%)
2011	296	#883	+25 (9.2%)
2010	271	#949	-7 (-2.5%)
2009	278	#962	+1 (0.4%)
2008	277	#968	-74 (-21.1%)
2007	351	#819	-71 (-16.8%)
2006	422	#676	+59 (16.3%)
2005	363	#742	+13 (3.7%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Esperanza as a Boy's Name

While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Esperanza has also been given to 35 boys in the U.S. since 1923.

Unranked

Current rank

Total births

1923

Peak year

Compare Esperanza as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Esperanza be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Esperanza is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it currently ranks #1017. As a boy's name, it is not currently in the top rankings.

Esperanza has two lives

Esperanza, the baby name

#1017girls

20,654 babies

Currently viewing

Esperanza, the pet name

#7425pet name

8 pets

View pet page →

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1903–2024) · Methodology