Girl name · French
Esperance
“hope”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Esperance.
Explore Esperance further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Esperance — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Esperance is Old French for hope, from Latin sperantia, and it was an English name long before it was a French import — it appears as a battle cry in Shakespeare's Henry IV and as the motto of the Percy family. The modern French spelling is Esperance with an accent that English usage drops.
It fell out of English use entirely by the eighteenth century and has not returned; it does not rank in the US or Britain. The jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding uses the Spanish cognate.
Espy is the short form worth having. Three syllables want one (Esperance Wren, Esperance Marie). On our vibe map it is Vintage Elegant with an Heirloom base.
More French names
Esperance sits in our French set — these share its roots.
All French names →Esperance — common questions
Is Esperance a boy or girl name?
Esperance is traditionally a girl name of French origin.
What does the name Esperance mean?
Esperance means “hope” of French origin. Esperance is Old French for hope, from Latin sperantia, and it was an English name long before it was a French import — it appears as a battle cry in Shakespeare's Henry IV and as the motto of the Percy family. The modern French spelling is Esperance with an accent that English usage drops.
Where does the name Esperance come from?
Esperance is French in origin. It fell out of English use entirely by the eighteenth century and has not returned; it does not rank in the US or Britain. The jazz bassist Esperanza Spalding uses the Spanish cognate.
What are common nicknames for Esperance?
Espy and Rance — the short-forms parents most often use for Esperance.
How popular is Esperance?
Esperance did not make the top 1,000 girls' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Esperance you might want for the nursery.