After a month of waiting and of baby name speculation , Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling finally revealed their daughter’s name: Esmeralda Amada.
TMZ first broke the news of the baby’s name, reportedly by obtaining the birth certificate. A source also confirmed the exotic name to E! News as well.
Earlier, it was reported that Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling had settled on a family name for their new daughter. It was Eva’s brother, Juan Carlos Mendes, who made that claim , saying that the name choice was one that would be in keeping with Eva’s rich Cuban heritage.
Esmerelda was the name of a fictional French Gypsy girl in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel Notre Dame de Paris …or the name may be recognized from the Disney princess character in the animated adaptation The Hunchback of Notre Dame. But the name Esmerelda is also a name of Spanish origin, meaning emerald , and may very well be inspired by Eva’s background. Pronounced ez-mer-AHL-dah , it was in 338th place for girls’ names in 2012. Among possible nicknames? Esme, Emma and Emmy.
As for Amada , the middle name Gosling and Mendes chose for their baby girl, it was the name of Eva’s character in We Own the Night. As a girl’s name is pronounced ah-MAH-dah . (It can also be used as a boy’s name , with the meaning of “He who loves God.”) Amada is Latin in origin, and means “lovable.” But, like Esmerelda, the name Amada could very well be in keeping with Eva’s heritage, as it is also considered to be the Spanish variant of the name Amanda.
So it seems as though that Gosling and Mendes may have very well chosen to go with traditional or family baby names, but the names they have chosen have still managed to remain unique.
As for the growing little family, it is said they are still very much enjoying this special time together, and although there has been plenty of help from grandparents on both sides, the couple is growing more confident in their parenting abilities, and grandmothers are seen coming and going a little less often. The two new parents are reportedly relishing the time away from the spotlight and focusing solely on little Esmerelda Amada. Although protective of Esmerelda’s privacy, neither Gosling or Mendes have made it any secret that they are over-the-moon in love with their baby girl.
What do you think of the name Esmerelda Amada for Ryan Gosling’s and Eva Mendes’s little one?
[Image via People ]
