Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Jessie

Jessie

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced JES-ee /ˈdΚ’Ι›s.iː/Low

Meaning: God's gift; God beholdsLow

In 30 seconds: Jessie is a diminutive of Jesse (meaning God's gift or God beholds in Hebrew) and also of Jessica. Used for both boys and girls, it has the warm, approachable quality of a classic nickname-name with deep biblical roots.
πŸ’• Browse more names
Origin LowHebrew, English
MeaningGod's gift; God beholds
U.S. rank (2024)#1261 β†— Rising
2024 U.S. births156 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 111,202

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 192218802024

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

History & Origin

Jessie is a diminutive of Jesse, from the Hebrew Yishai meaning God's gift or God exists. Jesse was the father of King David in the Hebrew Bible. Jessie as a given name has been used for both boys and girls in English-speaking countries since the 18th century.

Jessie has a warm retro quality in the US, associated with both male (Jesse James, Jesse Owens) and female (Jessie Ware, Toy Story's Jessie the cowgirl) figures. Its unisex nature and biblical roots give it broad appeal.

Did you know? Jesse Tree β€” the biblical Jesse of Bethlehem, father of King David β€” gave rise to the artistic tradition of depicting Jesus's genealogy as a Jesse Tree, showing all the ancestors of Christ growing from Jesse's sleeping form. The name Jessie/Jesse carries this deeply rooted family heritage.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Jesse

Variations

JesseJessicaJessiJessy

Nicknames

Jess

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Jesse Owens (1913-1980)
    American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

If you like Jessie…

Jesseβ€” Standard masculine form of same root
Jasperβ€” Two-syllable vintage masculine name of same era
Felixβ€” Two-syllable vintage masculine name of same feel
Archieβ€” Two-syllable vintage -ie name of same revival

Frequently Asked

What does Jessie mean?

Jessie means God's gift or God beholds as a diminutive of Jesse from the Hebrew Yishai.

Is Jessie a boy or girl name?

Jessie is gender-neutral and has been used for both boys and girls in English-speaking countries.

How do you pronounce Jessie?

Jessie is pronounced JES-ee with two syllables.

What names are similar to Jessie?

Similar names include Jesse, Jasper, Felix, and Archie.