The first notification I got of this name was a text from Lorella, which immediately followed the text in which she chastised me for not telling her about ‘Serial’. Are you addicted yet?
“That’s the name from the Hunchback of Notre Dame!” Lorella cried, if you can cry via text. It is, and I have to admit I think it’s gorgeous. It’s long, it’s unusual to balance out the ‘duckling’ name that is Gosling, and I like the rhythm. Esmeralda Gosling. Plus, they can effortlessly use the uber-stylish name Esme as a nickname, without even trying hard about it! So sure, it’s underused, and I get that it’s not for everyone, but I don’t mind it at all. It’s part of that subculture of names that, if we don’t use them, because they’re ‘fancy’ or whatnot, is going to become relics altogether. And let me remind you hipsters that Guinevere was that not so long ago, and Abraham, and Penelope. Things can change.
But I don’t love the middle starting with the letter that ended the first. Early reports said that it was Esmeralda Amanda – possibly as a tribute to Gosling’s sister Mandi. But upon closer inspection of the birth certificate it says “Amada”, which I’m finding online as a Spanish variant of Amanda. Since the assumed pronunciations are slightly different, there’s slightly less glottal stop with Esmeralda Amada than there is with Esmeralda Amanda – but both ways, it’s really difficult.
Overall? Creative name. Not ‘Hollywood’ and not trying too hard. I love it and won’t hear a word about it if you don’t. Actually, I’m lying. The more you hate it the more I want to hear! Keep me posted!