It seems Ryan Gosling has turned to body art to showcase his love for his daughter. The actor was spotted with 'Esme' - which is short for Esmeralda -- written onto his knuckles.

The 'inking' sent his fans into a tizzy with a speculation -- whether it was a tattoo or just a doodle.

The actor, who welcomed his first child with Eva Mendes in September last year, was spotted with the name across his knuckles here on Friday, reports mirror.co.uk.

However, it's still unknown whether the tribute is a permanent tattoo or not. The lettering, while readable, was thin and could be a quick doodle before he left the house.

Meanwhile, Gosling looked casual during the outing in a black leather jacket, jeans and a white T-shirt. He completed the look with a colourful baseball cap and black hood pulled up over his head.