Jessa

♀ Girl

Pronounced JEHS-uh /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ə/Medium

Meaning: Short form of Jessica (a name coined by Shakespeare from Hebrew Yiskah), conveying 'to behold' or 'God beholds'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Jessa is an English short form of Jessica, a name Shakespeare coined from the Hebrew Yiskah, with the sense 'to behold' or 'God beholds'.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningShort form of Jessica (a name coined by Shakespeare from Hebrew Yiskah), conveying 'to behold' or 'God beholds'.

U.S. rank (2024)#2041 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births95 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2015

Total births (all-time)≈ 6,376

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Jessa is a trimmed-down form of Jessica, the name Shakespeare devised from the Hebrew Yiskah and read as 'to behold' or 'God beholds'. Clipping Jessica leaves a softer, rounder name, and it sits alongside the other short forms Jess, Jessi, Jessie, Jessy, and Jessye.

Compared with the buttoned 'Jess', the open 'a' ending feels warmer and more grown. The name is carried by American television personality Jessa Seewald of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Jessa is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Jessa — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

JessJessiJessieJessyJessye

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Jessa Seewald (1992–present)
American television personality (née Duggar) from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On.

If you like Jessa…

Jessica— The full name Jessa shortens, coined by Shakespeare from Hebrew Yiskah.

Jessie— A pet form from the same Jessica family as Jessa.

Janessa— echoes that soft -sa sound

Tessa— shares the -sa ending

Jewel— another English name

Explore names like Jessa

By themeenglish

By meaningGod / Divine

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Jessa mean?

Jessa is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Jessa?

It's commonly said JEHS-uh /ˈd͡ʒɛs.ə/.

Is Jessa a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Jessa is used as a girl name.

How popular is Jessa?

In 2024, Jessa ranked #2041 in the U.S. for girls, with 95 births recorded.