Meaning and background
The story behind Esmeralda
Esmeralda joins a gemstone meaning with a literary association. The Spanish and Portuguese word means emerald, while Victor Hugo used the name for a character in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. A green image and an interest in the novel are different possible inspirations. The full name is considerably longer than Emerald on the page, and pronunciations vary between languages. Try the complete everyday call before settling on a shortening, so the version you use retains the part of Esmeralda you actually like.
- Origin
- Spanish and Portuguese name meaning emerald, ultimately connected with Greek smaragdos. Source
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About Esmeralda
Recorded as a dog’s name
Esmeralda appears in 3 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
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Sources and research notes (2)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.