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The short answer
Jessica is a feminine name used in English and French. Behind the Name describes it this way: "This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. This name was not commonly used until the middle of the 20th century." It ranked #665 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, this name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. This name was not commonly used until the middle of the 20th century. The entry lists its usage as English, French, German, Swedish and others.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Jessica ranked #665 for girls 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 | #665 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Jessica in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jessica mean?
Behind the Name does not give Jessica a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: this name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice.
Is Jessica a popular name?
Jessica ranked #665 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Jessica a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Jessica appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Jessica — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
