Eva Mendes has revealed the unusual inspiration for her baby daughter’s name – The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame.

The Hollywood actress, 40, and heartthrob Ryan Gosling, 34, became parents to their first child – Esmeralda Amada Gosling – in September.

Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling (AP)

Until now, Eva has not even confirmed the pregnancy.

But she opened up to Violet Grey magazine about what it was like to be a first-time mum at 40, saying: “I’m completely exhausted. I thought my wild nights were over but these are some of the wildest nights I’ve ever had.”

And she said about their daughter’s name: “We both love the Esmeralda character from the Victor Hugo novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame and just think it’s a beautiful name.

“Her middle is Amada, which was my grandmother’s name. It means ‘beloved’ in Spanish.”

Hitch actress Eva and Drive actor Ryan first began dating in 2011, after co-starring as parents in crime drama The Place Beyond The Pines.

Eva retreated from the limelight following reports about her pregnancy, and the star said it was a deliberate decision.

“Whether we like it or not, privacy is going to be very difficult for Esmeralda. I think it’s unfair but that’s our reality,” she said.

“So Ryan and I decided early on to give her as much privacy as we could. And my pregnancy was the first opportunity to give her that.

“It’s such an intimate time for the mother, too. I know that it seems all very innocuous when you’re flipping through a tabloid at the doctor’s office or see a photo of a pregnant lady online, but I find the media’s ‘bump watch’ obsession to be both intrusive and stressful. So I made a decision to eject myself from it completely. I was like, ‘Annnnd I’m out.’”

Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes (AP)

She said that the couple had not hired a nanny and that in her sleepless nights she found solace looking at other mothers’ comments on internet forums, as well as calling her family for advice.

Eva said that when she found it tough going, she thought about how much of a struggle it must be to be a baby.

“Everything is a struggle for her. For instance, I haven’t thrown up since the ’90s and she’s thrown up twice since we started this interview. Motherhood is cake compared to what it’s like to be a baby!”