Jessi

♀ Girl

Pronounced JES-ee /ˈdʒɛs.i/High

Meaning: Pet form of Jessica, the name Shakespeare coined, likely from Hebrew Yiskah, 'he sees, to behold'High

In 30 seconds: The i-spelled pet form of Jessica — Shakespeare's invention with a Hebrew heart. Casual, sunny, and a little bit country.

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Origin HighHebrew, English

MeaningPet form of Jessica, the name Shakespeare coined, likely from Hebrew Yiskah, 'he sees, to behold'

U.S. rank (2025)#3118 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births52 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1981

Total births (all-time)≈ 6,549

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

Jessi is a pet form of Jessica, the name Shakespeare created for Shylock's daughter, most likely reworking the biblical Yiskah (Iscah), 'he sees' or 'to behold'. Jessie, the older Scottish spelling, served for generations as a nickname for Jean and Janet before Jessica's twentieth-century boom swept all the short forms along with it.

The -i spelling took on a life of its own in country and pop culture — outlaw-country star Jessi Colter made it a stage signature in the 1970s, and Korean-American rapper Jessi carries it today. As a given name it is now rare, with a friendly, denim-jacket warmth.

Did you know? Shakespeare effectively coined Jessica for The Merchant of Venice (c. 1597), apparently adapting the obscure biblical name Iscah — and four centuries later it became America's top girls' name for years.

Overall data confidence 88%

Behind the Name — Jessica — parent name origin

Variations

JessieJessyJesse

Nicknames

Jess

Famous Bearers

★Jessi Colter (1943–present)
American country singer, one of the few women of the outlaw country movement.

If you like Jessi…

Jessie— the standard spelling of the same pet form

Jessica— the Shakespearean classic behind it

Jenny— a fellow evergreen nickname-name of the same era

Cassie— shares the casual double-s sparkle

Explore names like Jessi

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Jessi mean?

Jessi is a pet form of Jessica, the name Shakespeare coined, most likely from Hebrew Yiskah, meaning 'he sees' or 'to behold'.

How do you pronounce Jessi?

It's said JES-ee /ˈdʒɛs.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Jessi a boy or girl name?

Jessi is usually a girl's spelling; Jesse, the biblical form, is the traditional boy's name.

How popular is Jessi?

Jessi is rare today, a casual spin-off of Jessica's massive late-twentieth-century popularity.