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At a Glance: Name: Jesse – Meaning: Hebrew name of debated root, often glossed 'gift' or 'God exists' – Origin: Hebrew (biblical) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: JES-ee
Jesse is a Hebrew biblical name, pronounced JES-ee, that's often flatly said to mean 'gift' — but Hebrew scholars actually disagree on its root, and 'God exists' is just as common a gloss. It sits in the timeless, classic and clean, modern style camps, so it reads as familiar without feeling dated.
Meaning & Origin of Jesse
Meaning: Hebrew name of debated root, often glossed 'gift' or 'god exists'.
Origin: Hebrew (biblical).
A common claim: 'gift' (Hebrew) Actually: Often stated flatly as meaning 'gift,' but Hebrew scholars aren't in full agreement on the root — 'God exists' is an equally common alternate gloss.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Jesse
Phonetic: JES-ee IPA: /ˈdʒɛsi/
Popularity of Jesse
Jesse peaked at #26 back in 1882 with 660 babies given the name, and by 2024 it had settled to #187 with 1,980 babies — a name that's been on the SSA's radar continuously from 1880 through 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Jesse Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Jesse, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Jesse mean?
Hebrew name of debated root, often glossed ‘gift’ or ‘god exists’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Jesse)
How do you pronounce Jesse?
Jesse is pronounced JES-ee (IPA: /ˈdʒɛsi/).
Is Jesse a popular name right now?
Jesse peaked at #26 in 1882 and is ranked #187 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Jesse? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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