Jesse
Hebrew Yishai, probably “gift,” the father of David.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Jesse appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in 92 different years between 1880 and 2005. Its biggest year was 1981, when 10,443 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 37 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1882, at No. 26. In 2025 it ranked No. 184 for boys. All told, 444,920 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Jess (25,550) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: David
Explore Jesse interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 6,003 | No. 26 |
| 1890s | 5,396 | No. 33 |
| 1900s | 4,559 | No. 49 |
| 1910s | 16,293 | No. 60 |
| 1920s | 23,170 | No. 77 |
| 1930s | 18,930 | No. 94 |
| 1940s | 24,336 | No. 93 |
| 1950s | 26,655 | No. 112 |
| 1960s | 22,605 | No. 128 |
| 1970s | 44,886 | No. 50 |
| 1980s | 85,908 | No. 37 |
| 1990s | 73,791 | No. 45 |
| 2000s | 43,393 | No. 89 |
| 2010s | 24,903 | No. 124 |
| 2020s | 11,600 | No. 184 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.