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Jessie Name Meaning, Origins & History

Jessie

Pronunciation: JESS-ee

Meaning To behold (from Jessica); gift (from Jesse) Origin French, Hebrew Gender Unisex
GIRLS RANK
#824
TREND
16
BOYS RANK
#1,431
TREND
170
Peak Years
1918, 1919, 1917
Lowest Years
1972, 1968, 1969
Energy Archetype
Courageous & Inventive

Rank shows the name’s position among U.S. baby names for each gender in 2025. Trend shows how many places it rose or fell since 2024. Rank 1 is the most popular. Based on U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) data. Peak and lowest years are based on the number of girls named Jessie in the available records.

Fun Facts About the Name Jessie

  • An established favorite: Jessie held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 48 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1927.
  • An established favorite: Jessie held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 32 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1911.
  • More than 281 thousand babies named Jessie: U.S. records list 281,362 babies given the name Jessie from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 111,328 boys received the name Jessie - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.

What Does the Name Jessie Mean?

Jessie is an English short form whose meaning depends on the longer name it stands for. It is most often a pet form of Jessica, the name of Shylock's daughter in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Jessica is generally traced to the Hebrew Yiskah (rendered Iscah in English Bibles), a name that appears in the Book of Genesis; Yiskah is usually explained as "to behold" or "one who looks out," from a Hebrew root meaning to look or see, though the etymology is not certain.

Jessie is also a pet form of the masculine Jesse, from the Hebrew Yishai, the father of King David. Yishai is commonly given as "gift" or "God's gift," but the Hebrew origin of the word is disputed. The two sources are separate: the feminine Jessie comes from Jessica and the masculine Jessie from Jesse, even though the two spellings now often stand in for each other.

Jessie Name History & Origins

The -ie ending marks Jessie as an English familiar form, the same affectionate pattern seen in Jamie, Charlie, and Annie. Because it could shorten more than one name, it was given to both boys and girls: a boy called Jessie was usually named for Jesse, and a girl for Jessica.

Jessie came into use as an independent given name, not only as a nickname, in Britain and North America. It has been common for both sexes, though it is now far more often a girl's name.

How Popular is the Name Jessie?

Jessie remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1911. Its highest annual birth count was in 1918, and people born that year turn 108 in 2026.

U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.

Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.

Explore Name Lists Featuring Jessie

Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.

Established Favorite Girl Names

Established Girl Names: Favorites Through the Years

Established Favorite Girl Names

Established Girl Names: Favorites Through the Years

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How the Name Jessie Shapes Your Personality and Life?

You are honest, benevolent, brilliant and often inventive, full of high inspirations. You are courageous, honest, determined, original and creative. You are a leader, especially for a cause. Sometimes you do not care to finish what you start, and may leave details to others. You can do well in position of authority, and prospers in intellectual and professional fields. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.

Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.

✦ Jessie's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Jessie's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.
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