Jesse
Meaning of Jesse
Jesse comes from Yishai, a Hebrew name of uncertain meaning that is often explained as 'gift'. It is pronounced JES-ee.
In the Hebrew Bible, Jesse of Bethlehem is the father of King David, and the Tree of Jesse, which traces the ancestry of Jesus back to him, is a common subject in Christian art. Well-known namesakes include Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and the civil rights leader Jesse Jackson.
In the U.S., Jesse reached its highest rank, 26th, in 1882 and again in 1887. It then slipped down the rankings for decades before a strong comeback, and in 1981 it was given to 10,443 boys, more than in any other year. It has fallen back since then and ranked 184th in 2025, with 2,002 babies.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as JES-ee (/dʒɛsi/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Similar Names to Jesse
Notable People Named Jesse
| Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and politician, a protege of Martin Luther King Jr., active for decades and the father of Jesse Jackson Jr. and Jonathan Jackson. |
| Jesse Owens was an American track and field star who became the first to win four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics and is remembered as one of the sport’s greatest. |
| Jesse LeRoy Brown was a United States Navy officer who became the first African American to complete Navy flight training, the first African American naval officer killed in the Korean War, and a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross. |
| Jesse Wagstaff is an Australian basketball player and Perth Wildcats stalwart, a six time NBL champion, former Rookie of the Year, club games record holder, and Commonwealth Games gold and silver medalist. |
| Jesse Thomas Lacey is an American musician and producer best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Brand New. |
| Jesse Jagz is a Nigerian rapper, producer, and songwriter who rose with Chocolate City in 2010, launched his Jagz Nation label in 2013, released albums including Jag of All Tradez, Jagz Nation Vol 1 and Vol 2, and Odysseus, and issued the EP Garba in 2020. |
| Jesse McCartney is an American actor and singer who broke out on All My Children, joined Dream Street, launched a solo career, and became a prolific TV and voice actor in projects like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Kingdom Hearts. |
| Jesse Watters is an American conservative Fox News commentator known for man on the street segments who has hosted Watters World, cohosted The Five, and now hosts Jesse Watters Primetime. |
| Jesse Edwin Davis III was a renowned Native American guitarist, an acclaimed session and solo artist who backed Taj Mahal and played with Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Jackson Browne. |
| Jesse Plemons is an American actor with nominations for an Academy Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a British Academy Film Award. |
| Jesse Palmer is a Canadian television personality and sports commentator who played five NFL seasons at quarterback for the Giants and 49ers after playing at Florida under Steve Spurrier, then briefly joined the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL. |
| Jesse Tyler Ferguson is an American actor best known for playing Mitchell Pritchett on Modern Family from 2009 to 2020, earning five consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. |
| Jesse Williams is an American actor, director, producer, and activist best known as Jackson Avery on Greys Anatomy and for roles in The Cabin in the Woods, The Butler, and the game Detroit Become Human. |
