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The short answer
Jesse is a masculine name used in English and Dutch. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word שַׁי (shai) meaning ‘gift’ or יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning ‘existence’." It ranked #184 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word שַׁי (shai) meaning ‘gift’ or יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning ‘existence’. The entry lists its usage as English, Dutch, Finnish, Biblical.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Jesse ranked #184 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #184 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Jesse in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jesse mean?
Jesse means "gift", according to Behind the Name.
Is Jesse a popular name?
Jesse ranked #184 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Jesse a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Jesse appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Jesse — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
