Jessica Girl

Popularity: #551 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: JESS-ih-kuh //ˈdʒɛsɪkə//

Origin: Hebrew; Latin

Meaning: Hebrew: 'wealthy'; Latin: 'to behold'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Jessica has its roots in Hebrew, derived from the name Yiskah, which means 'foresight' or 'to behold.' This name was introduced into the English language through the works of William Shakespeare, who used it in his play "The Merchant of Venice," written in the late 16th century. In the play, Jessica is the daughter of Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and her character's journey reflects themes of love and identity.

Shakespeare's influence played a significant role in popularizing the name, as it became associated with the literary and cultural milieu of the Elizabethan era. The name Jessica was further solidified in the English-speaking world through its inclusion in various literary works and its adoption by notable figures in history.

By the 17th century, it had begun to appear in various forms in English literature and was embraced by different cultures, adapting to local languages and customs. The name's usage expanded significantly in the 20th century, but its roots remain deeply embedded in its original Hebrew meaning.

Culturally, Jessica has been associated with themes of beauty, intelligence, and complexity, largely due to its literary origins. The character of Jessica in Shakespeare's play embodies a blend of strength and vulnerability, which has resonated with audiences over the centuries.

Additionally, the name has seen various diminutive forms, such as Jess or Jessie, which have been used affectionately in different contexts. Overall, Jessica's journey from its Hebrew origins to its prominent place in English literature illustrates the dynamic interplay between language, culture, and identity.

Famous people named Jessica

In this section, you will find notable people named Jessica. 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 Jessica who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Jessica 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.

Jessica Alba is an actress and businesswoman best known for Fantastic Four, Sin City, and Honey.

Jessica Chastain is an actress and producer best known for Zero Dark Thirty, The Help, and Interstellar.

Jessica Biel is an actress and producer best known for 7th Heaven, The Illusionist, and Total Recall.

Jessica Ennis-Hill is a retired athlete best known for winning gold in the heptathlon at the 2012 Olympics.

Jessica Simpson is a singer and actress best known for her music career and the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica.

Jessica Lange is an actress best known for Tootsie, Blue Sky, and American Horror Story.

Jessica Szohr is an actress best known for her role in Gossip Girl and the film Piranha 3D.

Jessica Mauboy is a singer and actress best known for her music career and the film The Sapphires.

Jessica Henwick is an actress best known for her roles in Iron Fist, The Matrix Resurrections, and Game of Thrones.

Jessica Brown Findlay is an actress best known for her role in Downton Abbey and the film Winter's Tale.

Jessica Capshaw is an actress best known for her role in Grey's Anatomy and the film Valentine.

Jessica Hynes is an actress and writer best known for her work in Spaced, Twenty Twelve, and W1A.

Jessica Barden is an actress best known for her roles in The End of the F***ing World and The New Romantic.

Jessica Lucas is an actress best known for her roles in Cloverfield, Gotham, and the television series Melrose Place.

Jessica Stroup is an actress best known for her role in 90210 and the series The Following.

Fictional characters named Jessica

The following list of fictional characters named Jessica 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.

Jessica Rabbit is a fictional character from the animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. She is a sultry singer and the wife of Roger Rabbit, known for her iconic line, 'I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way.'.

Jessica Jones is a fictional character from the comic book series Jessica Jones and its Netflix adaptation. She is a private investigator with superhuman strength and a troubled past, often dealing with her own trauma while helping others.

Sibling suggestions

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

JenniferJasmineJordanJulietJocelynJade

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Jessica. 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.

JulianaJasmineJocelynJennaJodieJosieJoyce

U.S. Historical Usage

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

Jessica has ranked as high as #2 nationally, which occurred in 1987, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Jessica 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 Jessica was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Jessica.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 424 0 424
2024 527 0 527
2023 550 0 550
2022 620 0 620
2021 656 0 656
2020 780 0 780
2019 970 0 970
2018 1,065 0 1,065
2017 1,292 0 1,292
2016 1,397 5 1,392
2015 1,592 0 1,592
2014 1,804 0 1,804
2013 1,951 0 1,951
2012 2,335 0 2,335
2011 2,635 9 2,626
2010 3,206 6 3,200
2009 3,811 10 3,801
2008 4,745 6 4,739
2007 5,727 13 5,714
2006 6,825 10 6,815
2005 8,134 19 8,115
2004 9,505 35 9,470
2003 10,471 17 10,454
2002 11,943 22 11,921
2001 13,952 27 13,925
2000 15,738 27 15,711
1999 16,378 28 16,350
1998 18,269 30 18,239
1997 21,090 45 21,045
1996 24,248 47 24,201
1995 27,992 51 27,941
1994 32,227 105 32,122
1993 35,093 100 34,993
1992 38,464 103 38,361
1991 43,518 120 43,398
1990 46,626 140 46,486
1989 48,139 252 47,887
1988 51,781 225 51,556
1987 56,235 243 55,992
1986 52,899 217 52,682
1985 48,575 230 48,345
1984 46,037 180 45,857
1983 45,477 194 45,283
1982 45,641 188 45,453
1981 42,696 165 42,531
1980 34,050 126 33,924
1979 27,894 114 27,780
1978 26,197 95 26,102
1977 24,938 92 24,846
1976 18,424 56 18,368
1975 12,977 51 12,926
1974 10,698 42 10,656
1973 7,248 20 7,228
1972 6,230 24 6,206
1971 5,378 19 5,359
1970 4,036 15 4,021
1969 2,505 13 2,492
1968 1,841 0 1,841
1967 1,772 12 1,760
1966 1,677 10 1,667
1965 1,540 8 1,532
1964 1,178 7 1,171
1963 1,125 5 1,120
1962 864 0 864
1961 668 0 668
1960 556 0 556
1959 522 0 522
1958 529 0 529
1957 475 0 475
1956 406 0 406
1955 387 0 387
1954 424 0 424
1953 495 0 495
1952 453 0 453
1951 466 0 466
1950 402 0 402
1949 406 0 406
1948 482 0 482
1947 430 0 430
1946 240 0 240
1945 132 0 132
1944 124 0 124
1943 121 0 121
1942 127 0 127
1941 81 0 81
1940 61 0 61
1939 77 0 77
1938 50 0 50
1937 71 0 71
1936 43 0 43
1935 47 0 47
1934 46 0 46
1933 43 0 43
1932 44 0 44
1931 40 0 40
1930 38 0 38
1929 42 0 42
1928 36 0 36
1927 39 0 39
1926 35 0 35
1925 34 0 34
1924 41 0 41
1923 52 0 52
1922 40 0 40
1921 48 0 48
1920 43 0 43
1919 40 0 40
1918 56 0 56
1917 55 0 55
1916 53 0 53
1915 55 0 55
1914 42 0 42
1913 25 0 25
1912 36 0 36
1911 21 0 21
1910 28 0 28
1909 18 0 18
1908 17 0 17
1907 17 0 17
1906 18 0 18
1905 17 0 17
1904 16 0 16
1903 16 0 16
1902 9 0 9
1901 8 0 8
1900 23 0 23
1899 14 0 14
1898 13 0 13
1897 9 0 9
1896 9 0 9
1895 19 0 19
1894 10 0 10
1893 15 0 15
1892 14 0 14
1891 14 0 14
1890 18 0 18
1889 9 0 9
1888 18 0 18
1887 8 0 8
1886 11 0 11
1885 6 0 6
1884 14 0 14
1883 6 0 6
1882 8 0 8
1881 7 0 7
1880 7 0 7

Top States for Jessica (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 74
15%
TX 68
14%
FL 34
7%
NY 21
4%
IL 19
4%
NC 18
4%
PA 18
4%
TN 16
3%
OH 16
3%
VA 16
3%
WA 16
3%
NJ 14
3%
GA 14
3%
AZ 13
3%
IN 11
2%
MO 11
2%
OR 10
2%
OK 9
2%
MI 8
2%
UT 8
2%
AR 7
1%
KS 7
1%
SC 7
1%
KY 7
1%
IA 7
1%
LA 6
1%
NV 6
1%
MA 6
1%
AL 6
1%
NE 5
1%
CT 5
1%
MD 5
1%
MN 5
1%
WI 5
1%