Jesse Unisex

Popularity: #179 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JES-ee //ˈdʒɛsi//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: 'God is my salvation'; English: diminutive of Jesse

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jesse has its roots in the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai), which is derived from the Hebrew word "yishai," meaning "gift" or "God's gift." This name appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, where Jesse is notably recognized as the father of King David, a significant figure in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. The name was transliterated into Greek as Ἰεσσαί (Iessai) in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and later into Latin as Iessus, which eventually influenced its adoption into Old French as Jessé before entering the English language in the medieval period.

Historically, Jesse's prominence is anchored in biblical narratives, particularly in the context of the lineage of David, which is crucial to the genealogies presented in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The name is also referenced in the prophetic writings of Isaiah, where it is used to symbolize the root of Jesse, a metaphor for the coming of the Messiah.

This biblical significance has contributed to the name's endurance through centuries, as it has been borne by various saints and figures in Christian history. Culturally, Jesse has been associated with themes of leadership, divine favor, and familial legacy, reflecting the importance of lineage in biblical texts.

The name has also been embraced in various artistic and literary works, reinforcing its resonance in Western culture. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Jess or Jessie have emerged, often used affectionately or informally, although the name Jesse itself remains the most recognized form.

Overall, the historical and cultural significance of Jesse underscores its lasting impact across different eras and traditions.

Famous people named Jesse

In this section, you will find notable people named Jesse. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Jesse who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jesse who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Jesse Owens is an athlete best known for winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Jesse Jackson is a civil rights activist best known for founding the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and running for U.S. President.

Jesse Metcalfe is an actor best known for Desperate Housewives, John Tucker Must Die, and Chesapeake Shores.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an actor best known for Modern Family, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Uncoupled.

Jesse L. Martin is an actor best known for Law & Order, Rent, and The Flash.

Jesse Plemons is an actor best known for Friday Night Lights, Fargo, and Breaking Bad.

Jesse McCartney is a singer and actor best known for Beautiful Soul, and his roles in Young Justice and Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Jesse James is a television personality and entrepreneur best known for Monster Garage and West Coast Choppers.

Jesse Ventura is a former professional wrestler and actor best known for Predator and Running Man.

Fictional characters named Jesse

The following list of fictional characters named Jesse is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Jesse Pinkman is a fictional character from the TV series Breaking Bad. He is a former student of Walter White who becomes his partner in the methamphetamine business.

Jesse McCartney is a fictional character from the animated series Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal. He is a skilled duelist and a member of the main cast who helps the protagonist in their battles.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Jesse, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JacobJamesJoshuaJordanJaredJulian

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jesse. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

JaxonJettJaceJadenJasperJonahJulioJulius

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Jesse was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Jesse has ranked as high as #66 nationally, which occurred in 1981, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

In the past 5 years the name Jesse has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jesse is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Jesse was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Jesse (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 270
14%
TX 261
14%
NY 88
5%
FL 85
5%
OH 83
4%
PA 73
4%
NC 70
4%
GA 66
4%
WA 55
3%
IL 54
3%
UT 50
3%
AZ 49
3%
TN 49
3%
VA 45
2%
MO 44
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Jesse.

YearBirths
20241,980
20231,823
20221,975
20211,905
20201,885
20191,978
20182,144
20172,105
20162,309
20152,357
20142,469
20132,569
20122,711
20112,973
20103,278
20093,685
20083,954
20074,130
20064,370
20054,746
20044,760
20034,606
20024,431
20014,222
20004,485
19995,004
19985,444
19975,920
19967,075
19957,495
19948,682
19938,263
19928,562
19918,368
19908,977
19898,855
19887,912
19877,982
19868,542
19858,222
19847,609
19838,469
19829,504
198110,444
19808,376
19796,680
19786,107
19775,823
19765,301
19754,436
19744,106
19733,442
19723,226
19713,003
19702,768
19692,378
19682,146
19672,186
19662,316
19652,212
19642,185
19632,229
19622,273
19612,305
19602,375
19592,440
19582,489
19572,737
19562,626
19552,786
19542,760
19532,818
19522,721
19512,670
19502,607
19492,704
19482,705
19472,751
19462,467
19452,187
19442,311
19432,425
19422,397
19412,184
19402,205
19392,010
19381,912
19371,864
19361,827
19351,866
19341,853
19331,804
19321,863
19311,895
19302,035
19292,030
19282,171
19272,318
19262,298
19252,373
19242,292
19232,387
19222,395
19212,486
19202,420
19192,356
19182,433
19172,200
19162,230
19152,111
19141,457
19131,214
19121,106
1911596
1910590
1909517
1908482
1907466
1906436
1905443
1904443
1903388
1902437
1901411
1900536
1899423
1898476
1897529
1896586
1895577
1894567
1893541
1892602
1891519
1890576
1889576
1888637
1887601
1886614
1885556
1884670
1883584
1882660
1881536
1880569